Kindred
by Determined-Day-Dreamer
Summary: In a universe where everyone has their own spirit, or Ka, monster, Ryou, Malik, and Yuugi are freaks in a WORLD of freaks. When a test to find their soulmate, called the "Kindred Match" program, comes with less-than-desired results, and a power-hungry maniac after them and their magic, they're in for one Hell of a crash-course. (Full sum. inside. Yaoi, co-written w/ PaRaDiCe93)
1. It Begins

**PaRaDiCe: Hey guys, Nickey here! Working together with Fallen :) I hope you guys enjoy this story. We'll be switching chapters back and forth :) Um, I am having so much fun planning this whole thing out with Fallen, I'm pretty sure we're on the same page and agree with just about everything :) While Fallen did say that we're doing it 1st person view, I decided to introduce the story in the 3rd person... I hope Fallen enjoys this chapter along with you guys and is prepared to get her chapter going after this one while I get to work on another story of mine XD We do not own YGO or anything pertaining to YGO :) ^.^**

**Fallen: I don't know about our readers, Nickey, but I am DAMN excited to finally be getting this thing in the works! And I sure did enjoy this one when I looked over it! I hope you guys enjoy this prologue, of sorts, as much as I did! ;D**

**Now, there's no guarantees how often this one will be updated, seeing as how Nickey and I are both still busy with our own stories that are currently in-progress. We'll try to keep updates as regular as any other story, which should hopefully be easier, since we're doing a round-robin-type writing style (Nickey will be writing chapters in Yami's POV, myself writing Yuugi's). But still, no guarantees.**

**Also, Yami's Ka (Dark Judgement Dragon, for those who are wondering), is named "Oscuridad", pronounced "os-cur-ie-ad". It is Spanish for "Darkness". XD**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Full Summary: **_In a world where every human has their own spirit - or Ka - monster, adoptive brothers Ryou, Malik, and Yuugi are freaks amongst a WORLD of freaks. With power and magical abilities beyond that of an average person, they have been hidden away and sheltered their entire lives. But, when a test to find one's soulmate, known as the "Kindred Match" program, comes up with less-than-desired results, their worlds are turned upside-down. Apparent "Hikaris" to three dangerous, equally-powerful men referred to as "Yamis", they escape imprisonment by fleeing into the ruins of Old Domino City. And with the threat of discovery, therefore death, hanging over their heads by a power-hungry, maniacal warlord out for their magic, they're in for one Hell of a crash-course.  
_

_ With the help of seven strange, magical items, can they triumph over the discord that has become their new lives?_

_ Or will they fall victim to the very thing that may also be their salvation?_

_(Yaoi: Gem/Tendershipping, Bronzeshipping, Puzzleshipping)_

_(Co-written with PaRaDiCe93)_

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: We do not own anything within/to do with the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime/manga franchise. Those are (c) to Takahashi Kazuki, as well as _Konami_ and any others we may have forgotten to mention. This is simply a work of fiction inspired by the original anime/manga, and is in no way, shape, or form gaining a sort of profit nor are PaRaDiCe93 (Nickey) or myself (xfallenangel13x) associated with it in any way. We _do_, however, own the _plot _of this story, and will not tolerate any form of copying and/or plagiarism.**

**Please respect the hard work the two of us have put into this and all of our other stories (which can be found in their respected accounts), and do not steal/copy/claim this story as your own, nor post it/use it anywhere without either PaRaDiCe93's or my own direct permission.**

**Also, though we respect/appreciate _constructive criticism_, we will mot tolerate any flaming and/or spamming within the reviews of this story.  
**

**Thank you, and happy reading.**

**~ Fallen and PaRaDiCe93  
**

* * *

_**~ Chapter I ~**_

_It Begins_

* * *

It was a bright, blissful, sunshine-filled day in Domino City, Japan. Birds soared through the air, the skies were dappled with minimal, white cloud-coverage, and a warm, carefree air hung around the entirety of the small metropolis.

Behind a tall, wooden fence, in the yard of a small yellow house, were three young boys. One, with a mane of wildly-spiked, platinum-blonde hair and lavender eyes, ran in front of his two younger brothers. Behind him was the middle brother, Bakura. He had long, crazy white hair that reached down past his shoulders, and mischievous, russet-brown eyes. The youngest of the three had recently turned six. He was currently 'it', in their game of tag. He had wild, gravity-defying, tri-colored hair; ebony black with crimson tips, and blonde bangs framing his face, with a few streaks going back into the black part. Bright, purple eyes shone with happiness as he chased his brothers around the green back lawn, three sets of laughter bubbling into the air.

The boys' adopted mother, named Roshannai, walked out on the porch and smiled at her three boys. The children paused in their game of tag to run over and greet their mother. They loved their mom - she was always so kind to them (as a mother should be), and was always smiling. She loved her boys in return, so very much. They were her whole world. She picked up the youngest, as the shorter boy came running over to her, swinging him in the air as she did so. Yami giggled as his mother twirled him in the air, before holding him to her side and poking the tip of his nose.

The four of them walked back into the house, all giggles and gleeful faces. Roshannai put Yami down as she began fixing the boys some lunch. Yami followed her around the kitchen as she walked back and forth, gathering things for their meal. Marik - the eldest brother - and Bakura sat at the table and waited for their lunch. Roshannai put the boys' plates on the table, and sat Yami up in his seat before sitting down herself. They held hands and said Grace before they dug in.

When they were finished, Roshannai helped Yami down from his chair, and the three boys went to play in the other room while she cleaned up the mess from lunch. Yami sat on the floor, idly pushing around a toy car, while his brothers crashed their own cars together. There was an absent smile on his face. Marik ended up getting his finger smashed between the two cars as he and Bakura rammed them together, causing the older to smack his younger brother playfully on the arm with a pout. The boys continued playing with their toys, Marik and Bakura running off to retrieve more cars, to do a 'carpet jam', as they called it. Yami thought that was weird - they had said the same thing when they got into the jelly and threw it on the floor. Of course, Yami got the blame for that one. Every. Single. Time. They did it.

But, he knew that, even though they picked on him a lot, the elder two would be lost without him. And that was a mutual feeling.

A knock at the door alerted everyone in the house to visitors. Roshannai dried her hands off on her apron as she walked out of the kitchen to answer it. Yami, Marik and Bakura stood up from their toys as their mother answered the door, eyes wide and curious as they tracked her progress to the front of the house. Who had come to visit their happy little home?

The door opened, revealing several men dressed in dark suits, and concealing shades over their eyes. They fidgeted, not getting good feelings from these strangers, nor from their adoptive mother as she stiffened in her posture significantly. "We're here for the children," they heard one of the men say.

"You can't have them. You're going to hurt them, and I won't allow it," Roshannai told the man. voice surprisingly calm and fluid in tone, as the smaller woman bravely stood her ground. There was no way in the Shadow Realm she'd let these despicable men hurt her babies!

Marik and Bakura exchanged nervous glances, backing up a few paces, while Yami just stood there and watched, his curiosity peaking. What children? _Them_? Why did these weird people want them? Where would they be going?

"We're taking the children. With, or _without _your cooperation," the man clarified coldly.

Roshannai kept her head turned towards the man at the door. Her voice was soft and nurturing when she spoke, but rang with authority. "Marik, take your brothers and run. Don't look back, and stay away from strangers," she ordered briskly, eyes narrowing at the people before her.

Marik's eyes widened, but he wasn't about to question his mother. He grabbed Bakura's hand and ran towards the kitchen. It wasn't until he was _in _the kitchen, that he noticed Yami hadn't followed them. Marik went racing back towards the living room, waving his arm at Yami to get his attention and make him run.

But Yami was frozen in place, staring at this man that was trying to get past his mother. He saw the man pull something out of his overcoat, and point it at his mother. "Either move, or I'll move you myself!" the man growled darkly.

"Yami, run!" his mother cried suddenly. A bang sounded, causing Yami to jump. The child watched with wide, horrified eyes as his mother fell to the floor. Blood was quick to spread over the carpet where her head struck. Chills ran down the six-year-old's spine as the woman stare at his with wide, frightened, hopeless hazel eyes. Wide, yet unseeing.

Lifeless.

_Mama..._

He felt something boil within him. Tears began to form in his dimming, heliotrope gaze.

The men at the door began approaching Yami "C'mere, little boy," one of them cooed, attempting to coax him within an arm's distance.

"_STOP_!" another man behind him commanded.

The strangers headed towards Yami stopped, and turned towards the one that had just yelled. "Master Pegasus?" one of them questioned uncertainly, sounding perplexed.

"Do _not _approach that boy," the man, now identified as Pegasus, said, his eyes staring at Yami, cautious and somewhat alarmed.

When the men looked back towards Yami, he had lowered his head, and his eyes were now hidden by his jagged, blonde bangs. "You hurt my Mama..." he whimpered, shoulders shaking softly. The two men backed away as a black, ghostly cloud became evident, swirling around the boy. "You hurt her...!" Yami closed his eyes as he lifted his head. Moisture now tracked down his cheeks, as he slowly opened his eyes. Everyone, including Yami's brothers, gasped when they caught sight of them.

No longer _purple_, but a violent _red_.

Slowly, the crimson eyes began to glow, the whole iris turning into a burning, bloody red. Yami's small hands suddenly tensed, before sprouting into ebony claws. He began to grow scales along his tan flesh, as his whole body changed shape. His nose and mouth grew longer, almost like a dog's muzzle, as his nose changed to nostrils at the end of a long snout. Spikes appeared around the head of the slowly-changing child, scaled wings sprouting from his back, adorned with spikes. He groaned, and fell forward onto all fours. A long, serrated tail curved out from his backside, with spikes down the center and on the tip of the new appendage. Across the creature's chest was a bizarre pattern breaking to solid black of titanium scales, golden and shining in the design of what appeared to be a set of scales, with a strange eye staring out from its center.

"He's Merged with his Ka!" someone shouted in panic, as the new-formed _dragon _let out a loud roar, launching itself towards the men in the doorway.

The men ducked as the dragon flew over top of them with shouts of shock and bewilderment. It landed on a railing that surrounded the porch, and bellowed once again in anger. A black cloud appeared from the dragon's back as it snarled, and went barreling through the air, destroying anything and _everything _in its line of sight.

"Get that dragon!" Pegasus commanded, sending one man to capture the two other children, who were frozen in terror within the living room. The corpse of the children's young mother was ignored, as he stepped over it, and took pursuit with his team.

The men launched at the dragon, but were too slow, as the young creature flew up to the roof of the house. It roared once again, and sent balls of vibrant fire in all different directions, the unintentional targets exploding on impact. It reared up as one of the suited men raised a gun to it, and leapt down towards him, talons slashing into his chest. Grief, anger, and a thirst for vengeance was bright within the winged reptile's fiery gaze, as it launched itself up into the air, and took flight.

People were running and screaming from the tantrum the young dragon was throwing. They ran for cover from the fireballs, attempted to escape what they had named the 'Black Ring of Death', when the dragon roared. Its voice was filled with such power, that when released to the skies, an ebony ring of sure _energy_ shot away from it in the form of a shock-wave. When hit with the Ring, the body was drained of its life-force, instantly turning into a skeletal form, and fell to the ground. The buildings rumbled and shook, before crashing to the ground in nothing more than heaps of rubble.

* * *

It was dark - not that welcoming dark that you could get lost in, like when falling asleep. It was the scary kind of dark, one that you could feel another presence in; you knew it was _there_, but you didn't know _where_. Yami was scared - he didn't know where he was. He had shut his eyes tightly once he started feeling that... _sinking _feeling in his chest. All he knew, was that he had been swallowed up by the darkness. There was no light, only black nothing.

He heard a growl off in the distance, and finally willed his eyes to open. He blinked a few times, not sure what was going on. It was so _dark_, so _scary_, and he didn't understand what was going on. All he knew was that his mother was gone, and he was terrified. A tear ran down Yami's cheek and he collapsed down to a floor he hadn't known was there. It looked like water, as the floor rippled from the impact of his teardrop.

Yami heard a rumble, and turned towards the sound. A dragon, just a bit bigger than he was, came flying down towards him. He flinched, but calmed slightly as the reptile lighted down by his side, and wrapped itself around him, laying its head on his lap. Yami reached out a hand to pet the dragon, loving the feel of the its scales. He hugged the dragon's head tightly as he continued to cry.

_Do not cry, little one, _a voice suddenly whispered.

Yami started, looking up with wide eyes. "Wh-Who said that?" he muttered, turning his head from side to side, but wasn't able to see anyone else. His attention turned back towards the dragon, whose head was still resting on his legs. "W-Was that you?"

_Indeed it was, child. My name is Oscuridad_.

"Hello, Oscuridad... I'm Yami."

The dragon let a chuckle ripple from its thick throat. _I am aware of who you are, Yami. I am your Ka._

"My... Ka?" the child echoed vaguely, tilting his head to one side in curiosity.

_You will understand when you are older little one,_ the 'Ka' answered patiently, a strange, reptilian smile spreading across its slender muzzle.

"Aw..." was the muttered answer. Yami hated it when people said that! "Well... where are we, Oscuridad?"

_We are in your heart, Yami._

"My heart?"

_Yes. Your heart. Everything will make sense ,in time. Go to sleep ,little one - you'll need your rest when you have awakened._

"Oscuridad?"

_Yes, Yami?_

"Why is my heart so dark?"

_As I said before: everything will reveal itself in time. Now rest._

Yami yawned, suddenly feeling very tired "Okay, Oscuridad... Goodnight." Yami laid his head on Oscuridad's front claw, breathing quickly falling into a rhythmic pace.

A smile crossed the young dragon's face. _Goodnight, Yami._ Oscuridad wrapped himself around Yami to keep him warm as he slept.

* * *

Outside, Yami's dragon had taken complete control of his body. The young hellion was in the midst of a rampage, drawing its energy from the reserves of his master's pain, confusion, and anger. He had blown up buildings, set fire to everything in sight, attacked dozens of people, and caused his brothers to be captured. The winged beast was _very _angry.

Someone he and his master loved had been taken from them.

Roshannai.

Another, booming shock-wave shot from his jaws as he gave a keening bay. He began to feel weak, and tired. Oscuridad landed clumsily on a pile of concrete and rubble, letting out one final roar, before he collapsed.

The men from the house - who had been tracking the boy-turned-dragon since the beginning of his rampage - ran over to the pile of rubble they had seen the beast land on. In place of the black-scaled terror, was the boy from earlier. Small, innocent-looking, and vulnerable. Yet, responsible for the destruction of a city, and possibly hundreds of casualties. His clothes were ripped and tattered, and he looked a little beat up, but other than that, he seemed to be fine. "Get the collar on him, _now_!" Pegasus ordered curtly, looking frazzled and wary.

"Yes, sir!" one of the men said, as he ran over, and snapped a metallic collar around the sleeping boy's neck. There was the noise of a machine coming to life, giving a soft buzzing noise for a moment, before falling silent. Small, pinpoint spikes sank into the child's flesh, setting up a connection with his mind. The collar had a lifeless light at its front over the boy's throat. Pushing a small button with a pin, the collar's light turned on in a bright red hue, meaning it was activated, and held the child's monster within him.

The men picked the boy up, and put him in the back of a van with his siblings. Marik and Bakura panicked when they saw their unconscious brother on the floor of the van.

"Y-Yami?" Marik asked from across the van. He didn't get any closer, due to the fact that, just minutes ago, he witnessed his brother transform into a monster.

"I-Is... Is he dead?" Bakura asked, afraid of the answer. A red light illuminated from the other two boys' necks, as well, showing that they, too, had a collar on. The men weren't taking any chances of another outbreak like _that_.

"I-I don't th-think so," Marik stammered as he moved closer to his youngest brother. Slowly, Marik reached out to touch Yami. His hand landed gently on the side of Yami's face, the touch fleeting and hesitant. "He's still breathing," the blonde whispered with relief.

Bakura scooted over by his older sibling, looking down at their unconscious party member. "What do you think that was earlier, Marik?"

"I dunno. Whatever it was, it wasn't good. Those strangers... said he destroyed a lot of Domino, and... k-killed a lot of people..."

"What's gonna happen to us Marik?"

"I dunno" Marik whispered. He looked over at his younger brother and wrapped an arm around him after seeing how scared he was. "It's okay. I'm going to protect you guys."

"Wh-What if Yami turns into that dragon again?"

Marik looked at his youngest brother, a glint of fear in his eyes. "He won't hurt us 'Kura. Yami loves us. If he were going to hurt us, he would've done it by now."

"I hope you're right, Marik..." Bakura whispered, leaning his head over on his older brother's shoulder.

_Me too 'Kura. Me too... _the usually-energetic blonde thought silently. They rode on in silence, not sure of where they were going, but happy that they had each other.

Whatever awaited them, the three of them would face it together.

* * *

**Nickey: Well that took forever :D lol this is where Fallen takes over ;) Enjoy writing next chapter and reviewing over this chapter Fallen! :) *waves* Until next time everyone! Goodbye! :)**

**Fallen: Thanks, Nickey! It's gonna be fun! I think I'll make it in third person, just so it fits Yami's first chapter. Then, we can give into the first-person goodness I promised in my Teaser I posted! XD**

**Until next time, guys! I'll try to get that chapter written up soon, but you all know how I can be... *hides***

* * *

**Don't forget to review, and tell us what you think! ^^  
**


	2. The Day It All Ended

_Fallen: OK, I am SOOOOOOOOO sorry for taking so freaking long on this! The usual things... school, life, problems and such I must admit gave me quite a block, therefore a lack of motivation from the stress. But now, school is out and I am FREE. I tried to make this chapter as long and well-written as I could, to compensate for the ridiculously long wait you guys had to sit through. Again, I'm very sorry and beg for your forgiveness!_

_*bows*_

_I literally locked myself in my room today with a box of mini Ritz crackers and some Mountain Dew, and would NOT leave my bed until this chapter was written up. Two-and-a-half hours later, here we are. XD  
_

**Nickey: She won't hit a stump again, because I'll beat her up :P And Fallen and I do not own YGO or anything pertaining to YGO**

* * *

**_~ Chapter II ~  
_**

_The Day It All Ended_

* * *

All he could remember from _that_ day, was that it had started out as normal as any other.

Yuugi and his adoptive brother, Malik, had been playing in the backyard of their family's one-storied, two-bedroom home. The sun had been out and placed high in the sky. Their close friend, Ryou, who was practically another part of the family, had been over for a play-date. The three children, all in the varying stages of their sixth year on the earth, had been playing in the grass with multitudes of toys. Figurines, playing cards, plush animals – anything a six-year-old would enjoy playing with. Eventually, they had just piled the toys neatly to the side, and settled for dog-piling in the cool, green springtime grass and resting in the warmth from above.

From the patio, were two blissfully smiling adults, sitting in white lawn chairs. The woman, Yuugi and Malik's mother, had fair skin with nary a blemish to see, and short, almost boyish red-toned hair. It matched the hue of her youngest's tri-colored mane of raven-black, with maroon tips. He had gotten the golden fringe from his grandfather. All the boys of her family – her father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncles, and so forth – seemed to inherit the bizarre trait from a common ancestor. Who that was, she did not know.

The man next to her, was little Ryou's widowed father. Like the woman (who's name was Ashita), he had lost his spouse in an accident while out on business. The only difference, is that where her husband was involved in overseas shipping and trade, the he and his wife had both been involved in archeology. Yuugi's father, Daichi, had died in an accident, where the plane he had been riding was the victim of engine failure, sending it crashing to the oceans below, and claiming the lives of all on board.

Satoru Bakura and his love, Haru, had been excavating a recently-discovered tomb in the desert sands of Egypt, when something went wrong. In short, the ancient stone had collapsed in on itself, sealing many inside for the extent of hours, and crushing many to death almost instantly. The two families had been very close – Haru and Ashita had been childhood friends, Satoru and Daichi having met sometime in high school. Chances would have it, that the four ended up going to the same college, therefore crossing paths often. It only seemed natural that they had all become friends.

But, to digress...

The two parents watched their three children, enjoying their youth and time together to the fullest of their gentile personalities.

Yuugi, as aforementioned, had wild, spikey black hair. The ends tapered into an attractive shade of maroon, with a jagged fringe of golden bangs framing easily over his face and ears. Pale skin was smooth, with rounded features, and large, soulful, almost indigo-violet eyes. And, though he _certainly_ did not look it, the boy was the eldest of all three. Unfortunately, due to his shorter size and innocent nature, it was not uncommon for him to be the target of bullying at school, try as Ashita and his siblings might to ward off any potential trouble.

Malik, who was the youngest of the trio, was Egyptian in ethnicity, with the natural, bronzed tan of his homeland's people. His hair was an almost metallic blonde, untamed and stuck out in every which-way. Lavender eyes were always full of mischief and trouble to be had. He had lived in Cairo with his parents and siblings. One sister, one brother, with a very quiet mother, who was a bit of a doormat, to be blunt. They had all been harmed in one way or another by the boy's abusive lunatic of a father. However, after his death (he had apparently been stabbed by an intruder one night), his biological mother had been deemed unfit mentally and morally to raise him and his brother and sister. They were put into an overseas adoption program. His older siblings, Ishizu and Odion, had both been adopted, but Malik had not been. And, though he tended to miss his siblings at times, he was forever grateful that fate had set him up to be taken in by his mother. Now, he had a life full of the love and affection that had been absent in his youngest years, and he now had a new brother whom he loved dearly. But it wasn't uncommon for him to be weary of strangers, and usually flinched whenever others moved near him in a way that seemed intimidating or aggressive. Especially with new adults.

Then, there was the middle-child, Ryou. Though he was not under Ashita's lawful care, she still treated the child as if he were her own, just like his father did with Malik and Yuugi. He was calmer, and more inquisitive and insightful than his two companions, and seemed to be an unusually deep thinker for someone of his age. Already, the two parents could tell he was a very nurturing, look-before-you-leap type of person. His hair was light, long, and soft, glowing a stark, snowy-white. It hung down past his chin, and was already separating into spike-like partings at the ends and scalp of his head. He had a kind, doe-like brown gaze that seemed to be able to see into others' hearts, capturing them upon a single glance.

The scene set had been as peaceful as any other spring day. And, it was just as the three boys began to doze in the warm rays of the sun, that _it_ happened.

It had started with a rather ominous aura, settling in over the two grown-ups, but passing over the head of the children like a gentle breeze. They both shifted, sharing a brief glance, looking around the yard, peeking discreetly over the fence line, so as not to disturb nor worry their drowsy boys. Then, came a light tremor – so light, in fact, that it could have been mistaken as the impact of someone shifting or walking by. This caused the young ones to open their eyes a sliver, wondering if the feeling was one of them moving, or just their imaginations.

Next, it seemed that all Hell would break loose.

There was a deep, resounding _BOOM!_ on the horizon, shaking the earth and sky like an earthquake. Only, this was no earthquake. The children all shot up in surprise, looking around with three sets of darting, confused eyes. The adults started up from their chairs, their own gazes wide with worry.

A deep, guttural sound rumbled through the air, before shrieking up in decibel to an infuriated _roar_.

Yuugi, Malik, and Ryou instinctively raced up to their parents, whimpered and frightened at the ungodly sound. Their arms were outstretched, and the two parents managed to scoop the youngsters into their arms. Ashita cradled Yuugi to her chest, crouching down to her knees, whilst she held Malik firmly to her side as he hid his face in her bosom. Satoru hugged his son to his chest, now both glad and dreading the fact that his younger daughter, Amane, had wanted to spend the day at her grandparents' home that day, instead of "_being stuck with a bunch of icky boys_," as the little girl had worded it just a few hours previous. He and Ashita shared another startled, wide-eyed look, a single thought in both of the minds:

_What in God's name was __**that**__?_

The two clutched their children more firmly to them as another, deafening bellow tore across the sky. It could be pinpointed towards somewhere deeper into the neighborhood in which they lived, closer to the tall office buildings and other such businesses towards the heart of the city.

Something large, like an ominous shadow, suddenly launched itself across the cityscape.

The adults gaped, whilst the children cowered.

Were those _wings_?!

The two were quick to herd the young ones into Satoru's car, more than eager to get away from the destruction that surely would fall this day. Ashita called up her father, Sugoroku, and established safety for Satoru, the boys, and herself along the less populated areas in Domino City, where the elder lived in his home-turned-business. Because both knew what had happened.

Someone, somewhere in the city, had Merged with and lost control of their Ka. Be them young or old, once awareness has slipped, controlling the demons of one's inner soul can be nothing short of impossible. It would take a miracle for no-one to be killed this day.

Yuugi huddled close to his brother and best friend in the backseat, their parents not even sparing the time to get their car seats to support them. Instead, they just buckled them in, told them to hold the shoulder strap away from their necks and faces, and started the engine. He shivered with fright.

Whatever was causing the grown-ups to act like this could _not_ be good, in any sense of the word.

Satoru pulled from the drive quickly, obviously stuck between the options of racing as fast as possibly to where they may be safer, and driving as slow as they could afford, for the kids' sakes. He settled for a mixture of the two, going swiftly, but not so much as to cause damage or injuries if a sudden stop were needed. Next to him, Yuugi and Malik's mother gasped as a tall corporation building suddenly went toppling towards the ground, a tar-black _dragon_ barreling its way through the center of its structure. Even from this standpoint, in the distance, they could see the debris of plaster, metal, and glass erupting from the other side, with the scaled beast in their wake.

As they drew closer to their destination – having no choice but to cut through a street that was closer to the chaos than any of the five in that car would have liked – the panic of this random attack became more evident. People were running and screaming in the streets, streaming from their workplaces and countless tall buildings before they had the chance to collapse. Heaps of twisted metal and rubble littered the ground, the leftovers from fallen skyscrapers forming a blanket of drywall dust and ash from a few fires that had broken out. The three children came to the verge of tears, hiding their faces in one another's chests, arms, and shoulders as the bodies of 'sleeping' individuals lay here and there, their final moments of shock and terror limply remaining on relaxed faces.

Then, in a single moment, Yuugi felt his breath catch. Seemingly against his will, his little head slowly turned to the left, to gaze out the window as an earth-shattering rumble shook their vehicle. Amethyst eyes widened, muscles locking, as he was met with the image of a hulking mass of armored skin and leathery wings, vicious talons, and dripping teeth, onyx scales and vibrant, crimson eyes... crouched mere meters away, and crouched in an aggressive stance. He could have sworn their eyes locked, as something shifted and fluttered deep inside of his heart, as the creature stared right back at him.

He could see confusion in those bloody red eyes. Confusion, and pain, and sorrow, and anguish. Like he didn't _know_ or didn't _want_ to do whatever it was he was doing. He just wanted... _something_. The raw emotion he saw within that dragon's eyes was similar to what Yuugi had felt in his heart the day he was told his daddy was never coming home again.

Then, the creature's pupils widened into empty, black pools of nothing, before narrowing into dangerous slits. Like a singular, delicate crack in a ruby, before its snarling maw opened.

He heard the shouted warnings of his mother and father-figure, the terrified screams of his brothers, before a shock wave of visible, black energy was released with another ear-tearing roar.

People hit by the wave dropped like flies, their body skeletal, their skin clinging tightly to their drained, deceased frames like plastic wrap, eyes dead and hollow, while whatever inanimate object around them – be it building, car, or briefcase – disintegrated into a fine, powdery substance at their feet.

And it was right before the Ring of Death hit them, that Yuugi felt that stirring pressure in his chest release, with a sudden, shuddering gasp.

_I will protect you, _whispered a voice, deep and regal, one that Yuugi had never heard before.

His eyes glowed a pure, bright white shade, as his loved ones shrieked around him, head tilting back as a burst of pure _energy_ escaped him, and met the ring-like wave head-on, and shattering its barrier into a grayish mixture of stardust-like shine. Surrounding his family in a clear, protective bubble, as all others died like mangy dogs around them. He could feel the shocked gazes, rather than see them, settled on his practically ethereally-glowing body, as the black death-bringer before them shot itself back up into the sky, that fluttery feeling of connection within his soul seeming to follow it.

_Who... Wh-Who are you...?_ he managed to whimper back, muscles still frozen with the surges of power that left him, mouth slightly open in a silent cry. What was this voice, inside the deepest recesses of his head? When had it gotten there?

Was it something like this killer beast currently vaulting itself around the city?

_I am nothing to fear, little one, for I will protect you,_ it repeated calmly, soothing Yuugi's fraying nerves like a cooling balm, _I have been here since the day of your birth, sleeping, waiting for the day when you were ready to accept my presence inside of your soul._ Yuugi pictured something akin to a silky, warm blanket being placed over his body, as the energy gradually died down. His irises returned to their normal amethyst shade, though they were now dim with fatigue. The energy bubbled also vanished, and Yuugi's eyelids fluttered with a tired noise, before he slumped lifelessly back into Malik's side. He just wanted to sleep...

_My... M-My soul...?_

There was a somewhat deep, rolling chuckle. _Indeed, little one,_ the voice continued, _My name, is Arceus. I am a Lightsworn, and I am your Ka Monster._

Though he was exhausted, Yuugi's brow crinkled in confusion. _Light...sworn?_

Another chuckle. _I will explain later, little Yuugi. But, for now... rest. I shall be waiting for you, when you wake. And then, I will answer all of your questions._

Yuugi turned to his side slowly, murmuring tiredly and his body slouched down, and he managed to numbly place his head into the startled Malik's lap. "...Promise...?" he slurred with a tiny yawn, much to the confusion of his sibling and friend, and the realization of his mother and father-figure.

_You have my word,_ soothed Arceus, _Now..._

_Sleep._

* * *

**Nickey: Ha! That was great! Loved it, and awesome work Fallen! But, just remember, if you ever hit a stump like that again, I'll thunder punch you in the throat and bring you back out of it ^w^ (**_thank... -w-U)_** haha! Hope you all enjoyed as much as I did! :) until next time ladies and gents! *waves* Goodbye!**

_Fallen: See you next time, for Nickey's chapter! :D_


	3. Hell

**Nickey: Hey guys, okay one, Fallen, I'm putting myself in this story :) I am -quite literally- Yami. :) I'm going to do better this chapter, and you won't have to revise as much ^w^ Just remember everyone Fallen and I do not own YGO or anything pertaining to YGO :) I have read, read, and re-read this chapter. X3**

_Fallen: And with me, re-re-re-rereading it, as well :'D_

_Enjoy, everyone~_

* * *

**_~ Chapter III ~  
_**

_Hell_

* * *

Ten years.

Ten long, _torturous_ years.

That's how long we'd been in here. We've lost all track of time. We didn't know what day it was, what month it was, or what year it was. The only reason I knew we'd been here for ten years was because every new year I would hear champagne bottles being popped open and people shouting '_Happy New Year!_' What was so happy about it?

We've been trapped here. Every day it was the _same_ thing. _Every_ day we stared at those white walls. Four tall, white walls surrounded us, taunting us. Three doors on three different walls, two led out of the room, one led to a bathroom. Only one was left unlocked - the bathroom. The tall white ceiling hanging over us, tormenting and reminding us that there was no way out. The annoying clock on the far wall that ticked ominously, the ticking echoing through the room, reminding us of our impending doom. The cold tile floor was the only comfort we ever got, but that wasn't real comfort.

I was surprised I hadn't gone insane yet, though I was sure I was on the edge of insanity. They put us in black jump suits with long sleeves. The long sleeves were to hide the torture they were putting us through, just like the rest of the jumpsuit. Only there to hide the marks, the cuts, and the bruises these people had given us. I remember waking up in this hell hole. I remember it all as if it were yesterday...

* * *

_"Is he awake?" an unknown voice mumbled. I didn't know who it was as my eyes were still closed._

_"No sir," another voice said._

_"Well, wake him up!" the first voice growled. After he said that I was violently yanked off the floor and shook. When that didn't wake me the man brought his hand down on my face._

_I blinked my eyes open and the man gasped when he saw me. I didn't know why at the time, but I knew why now. My eyes hadn't returned back to their previous violet color. They remained that burning crimson red._

_The first man, the one I recognized as the man that had shot my mother, snatched me away from the second man. "You think you're so smart don't you," he sneered. It wasn't a question, but I couldn't help the smart ass smile that went across my six-year-old face. I had changed, I was no longer that sweet and innocent little boy that smiled at everyone. I was now the little hellion, the one that my name screamed of me being._

_The back of the man's hand met my face in a sickening __**SMACK!**__ "Wipe that damn look off your face," he growled._

_A chuckle escaped my lips as a smirk broke across my face "It pisses you off to know how powerful I am, doesn't it?"_

_He threw me against a wall that I hadn't known was behind me. His foot meeting my stomach as I landed. I groan in pain as the foot pushes me hard against the the crease between the wall and the floor. "We'll see who's laughing when I'm through with you" the man growls as he picks me up by the back of my shirt._

_I don't fight back, I know it's useless. I'd been captured, and I'd be here for a while. I'd never get to see my friends or family again. I'd never get to go visit my mother's grave, not that I knew where it was. I'd never return to our - once happy - home._

_I hear my brothers crying out as I'm carried away. Marik is yelling empty threats, Bakura just wants them to leave me alone. But none of that matters. The collar around my neck ensures that I never escape. I can feel the spikes touching against my skin, threatening to push inwards if the wearer ever tries to break free._

_The man straps me down to the table, metal restraints holding down my limbs. A wire connects to the collar around my neck, a metal belt snapping across my waist. They cut my shirt, leaving me in my shorts as they took off my shoes and socks. A needle was pushed into my left hand, causing me to cry out in pain._

_They place these white circle things on my chest saying that they're checking something called vitals. Metal clips are locked in place, up and down my arms and chest. I know not what these are used for, all I know is that they said it's for something called 'Experiment 629'. I knew already this was bad._

_Another needle was sent into my leg, my attempt to move away from it was destroyed as the metal restraints held me in place. This was Experiment 352 – again, I didn't know what it was for, just that it was another experiment._

_A mask was placed over my nose and mouth, a band wrapped around my head holding said mask to my face. Another white circular thing is stuck to my forehead, with two smaller ones. The man that had carried me in here smirked as I began to feel drowsy. My eyelids started to droop as a single thought popped into my head, I was not going to like how I felt when I woke up._

* * *

Boy, was I right. I hated how I felt when I got up. I hated the scientists for experimenting on me. I hated the world for not helping me. But most of all, I hated myself. I hated myself for allowing all this to happen. I hated myself for getting my brothers caught, and bringing them into this whole mess. I hated myself for allowing the scientists to lock me back up in this accursed room.

* * *

_"Throw him in there with his brothers, I'm done with him. For now..." the man from earlier spat._

_I let out an unconscious whimper as I hit the ground. "YAMI!" My brothers yell. I feel their hands touch my back, causing me to yelp. They pull their hands away, but they don't leave my side as the lights go out._

* * *

The room we were in, they called it Keimusho - _prison_. I called it Hell. Half of the room was lit up, but it sat empty. It had been empty for ten years, and I was beginning to think that it'd be that way for the rest of our lives. We were going to be alone for the rest of our lives, nothing would ever change that. Nothing.

Our half was shrouded in darkness. The only thing visible was the red glow from the lights on our collars. No lights were on because we prefer to be in the dark.

Funny phrase that is - in the dark, I mean. The whole world was in the dark, or at least all of Domino was. Everyone knew of Oscuridad's destruction, but no one knew _why_. My brothers and I knew. The scientists here knew. But the world _didn't_ know. No one knew of the horrible nightmare I witnessed all those years ago, the nightmare that finally caused me to snap.

Marik sat in the corner, Bakura sat against the wall, down a little ways from where I sat with my knees drawn up. I knew this was all my fault, but my brothers would never say it. Why would they? I was a monster with crimson red eyes and I scared them. They still loved me, and they'd follow me to the depths of Hell (one that we didn't already live in, that is), but they were still afraid of me. There was only one man I'd met here that wasn't afraid of me...

* * *

_"Master Pegasus." I heard a man outside the door say, "The little one, he needs a new suit. Please, allow me to measure him to make a new one."_

_"Aknamkanon, I do not appreciate you being kind to those three. They're here because the 'little one' as you call him destroyed Old Domino." He spat the words 'little one' as if they left a bad taste in his mouth. He hated me with every fiber of his being._

_"Y-Yes sir. B-But they're just children."_

_"They're monsters!" He spat back "And while you're making that boy a new suit fix his damn hair. He looks like an idiot!"_

_A few footsteps sounded outside before the door was pushed open gently. "Yami?" A soft voice called. I looked up sadly at the greying man. He had soft grey eyes, long greying hair, and a beard that went around his jaw line with a mustache that went up under his nose and down the sides of his mouth._

_He walked over and picked me up, holding me against him. I was his favorite, I was unique, and he loved me as if I were his own son. _

_We walked out of the room, shutting and locking the door behind us. He carried me down the hall to another room, measuring me for another suit before sitting me up on a stool. Another worker walked into the room to take the measurements for my suit. Aknamkanon looked at me after the man had left. He sighed as he looked at me, a sad, distant look in his eyes. "I'm sorry Yami. I have to follow orders though."_

_"It's okay," I whisper back. My voice hadn't returned to me yet since the painful screams from the hellish torture I had suffered earlier. "It's not as though this is the only change I will go through in this place."_

_"Yami. I want you to promise me something." I look up at him tilting my head curiously as he continues. "I'm sure I'll be fired soon. They don't like that I'm nice to you boys, especially you. Promise me you'll be a good boy, Yami." A gasp escapes my lips as my eyes widen. "Promise me that you'll listen and do as they ask. They won't hurt you as bad as long as you give them what they want, and do as they ask." He looks back up at me, tears running down his cheeks "Promise me that, Yami."_

_A tear runs down my right cheek, dripping down onto the stool I sat on as I wrap my arms around his neck. "I promise... I promise, Papa" I say quietly as I nuzzle into his neck._

_He picks me up, holding me close because he knew what my future held. He knew of the torture that I would go through, that I __**was**__ going through. He sat me back down on the stool, beginning my 'make over', twirling me on the chair so he could cut my hair. He clipped my hair and flattened it down so it looked (somewhat) normal. He combed and gelled it back so I didn't look like a girl, shortening my bangs so they flipped out over my forehead, spiking out a little ways. _

_Instead of spiking up like it used to, my hair hung just above my shoulders, the crimson tips visible just below my ears. My blonde bangs didn't go much further than my forehead, the few streaks that went back into my hair were also combed back with the rest of my hair, longer than the rest of my bangs._

_He held my face with both hands once he was done, tilting my head to look at him. "You look very handsome now, Yami." A sad smile crosses his face. "You're a brave boy. Remain couragous Yami. Be strong, and don't lose yourself. You're going to be okay." Tears rolled down his cheeks once again. He knew it was a lie, but he wanted to make me feel better. _

_A sad smile crosses my face at the compliment. "Thanks," I whisper._

_The worker from earlier brings in a new suit with my current measurements. Aknamkanon thanks him and the man exits the room once again. He walks over to me and helps me into my suit. "I'm sorry this happened to you Yami."_

_"I'll be okay," I murmur, "I'm a big boy."_

_He nods in understanding before taking my hand and leading me back to my brothers._

* * *

Aknamkanon was fired at the end of the week, that was nine years ago. No one had bothered with us since. We were only retrieved when we were wanted for experiments or when we needed new suits. New experiments were administered every day. We were so sore, we weren't able to do much. That's why we sat here. In the dark. Away from one another, because we learned the hard way what happened when we tried to defend each other from those men.

* * *

_"Give me back my brother!" Marik yelled, grasping onto Bakura's hand as the men tried to drag him away._

_A kick to the face sent Marik flying across the room. A growl escaped my mouth as a snarl crept it's way to my face. I ran forward, hell bent on getting my brother away from that man. As I ran forward a fist met my face, causing me to skid across the ground and land next to Marik, both of us groaning in pain._

_They got out of the room before Marik and I were able to recover. We had no choice but to sit in that room and listen to our brother's tortured screams from the other room. Tears ran down my face as I huddled into the corner, plugging my ears and attempting any way I could to get away from that awful noise._

_I felt arms wrap around me. It wasn't until I was pulled into a warm embrace that I realized it was Marik. Looking up at my brother I only saw love, he wasn't afraid __**of**__ me right then, he was afraid __**for**__ me. He held me in his arms as we both waited for our brother to return. I ended up falling asleep in Marik's arms, so I don't know when Bakura returned, but I was glad to have him back._

* * *

We were animals in a cage. We would always be in this cage. I'd cry but, since that day, I've lost all sense of emotion. It's like I'm dead on the inside. I feel like my very heart is missing. Depression. That's what the scientists described my 'condition' as. It wasn't a 'condition', it was just... I didn't see the point of living when you were either in pain, or being left in a room to rot your whole life. My brothers, the only friends I had in here, they were afraid of me. My friends on the outside? Who knows what happened to them. Maybe Oscuridad killed them in his rampage.

I knew, somewhere, our friends had to be alive. Oscuridad had no reason to kill them. Not that he had a reason to kill anyone else, but our friends weren't meant to be part of that group.

The woman that was in charge of feeding us walked in, bringing in our dinner. Her short brown hair went to her chin, and her bright blue eyes always twinkled with happiness as she walked in. They all entered from the Hikari side of the room. No one dared to enter on our side unless the lights were turned on.

She sat our trays down at the edge of the Yami side of the room. Smiling, she turned and walked away. Marik and Bakura crawled over and began eating their dinner. Food always came first, those two would never change. I love my brothers though, they're all I have left now.

I continue staring distantly at my hands that are resting between my knees. I've heard all the rumors going around here. "_He's given up_" and "_He hasn't eaten for days_" or "_He's out to kill himself._" Who _wouldn't_ want to die if they were in my position? I'd never be able to live a normal life again. I'd be alone, forever.

A sigh escapes my lips as a tingling feeling runs through my chest. I know that Oscuridad is attempting to comfort me, but he can't reach me. I haven't been able to talk to Oscuridad since _that_ day. I now know what a Ka is, and I know now why my heart was dark. My heart had literally shattered, and it would take my 'Kindred' to repair it. My soulmate. I didn't know where my Kindred was, and it's not like I was ever going to find them. I wasn't allowed to leave, I had to stay here.

Marik and Bakura finish their dinner and move back over to their spots on the wall. The woman comes back to pick up the trays. "Yami, you should eat," she says quietly, concernedly.

I say nothing, and just simply turn my head away from her. Pretend like they care all they want, I know the truth about this place. I've been here long enough to know it. Their kind smiling faces aren't fooling me. Anyone who believed those faces were fools.

I draw my knees closer and lay my head on them, intending on getting some sleep. Sadly, that's not what the facility members had in mind. I let out a grunt as I'm yanked to my feet. Cuffs are placed on my wrists for safe measures. Even though the collar drains all energy and any connections to Oscuridad, they weren't taking any chances on _me_ this time.

* * *

**Nickey: I feel like I did a better job on this one Fallen :) I don't think you'll have to revise it as much ^^ Though re-ordering the paragraphs a little will probably happen :P Sorry about that. But, it seemed okay. I pictured myself there, and I think I did an okay job :) Until next time guys *waves* Goodbye! ^^**

_Fallen: Well, personally, I thought it was pretty good! What about you guys? Be sure to drop us a review, and tell us what you think of it! :)_


	4. Matched

**Nickey: So, we all know Fallen here is a slacker in the first place... But with how long this freaking chapter is, I sure hope it makes up for her absence XD We all still love ya, Fallen, even if you are a slacker ^w^ Enjoy everyone!**

_Fallen: Yeah, right? I've been sitting on this thing for... what, like a week? I feel SO bad for taking so long with this, but between life, other fanfics, and the works... well, I'm sure you're all used to my long-ass waiting periods for updates *laughs* Anyways, I hope this super-long chapter makes up for it! But, unfortunately, no guarantees future updates will be this lengthy. There was a lot to go through and explain here, so my keyboard just kinda ran away with me, here._

_**Enjoy the chapter!**_

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more.  
**

* * *

**_~ Chapter IV ~_**

_Matched_

* * *

"B-But, but Jii-chan!"

"No means _no_, Yuugi! That is _final_!"

I flinched as my grandfather finally reached his destination ever since I first confronted him about... – well, let's just say it's a touchy subject – and promptly slammed the door shut to my pleas. I sighed heavily, letting my arms, which were crossed over my chest, drop limply down to my sides. The disappointment swelling up like a balloon in my chest was nothing new to me, so why did it still hurt so bad? It pressed in on my lungs, making me feel as if something were filling them, slowly attempting to asphyxiate me. And then, as the wave of sadness came and went, something new took its place.

Anger.

What right did this old man have to keep my brothers and I from such an important stepping stone in our lives? Surely this wasn't just simple, parental over-protectiveness? My hands curled into fists, and I felt a growl rumble in my throat as Arceus picked up on my frustrations. "You can't keep us locked up in this place forever, Grandfather!" I shouted at him through the door, though I already knew he wouldn't reply. We'd been through this enough times for me to know that by now. "We're not your precious little secrets to keep anymore! What you're doing now is... it's... i-it's just _selfish_!"

_Yuugi._ Arceus' reprimanding voice rang through my head like a siren. I growled again, but quickly turned away from the master bedroom, and stomped my way into my own. I tossed the door shut carelessly and flopped face-first into the mattress of my bed. I bit my lip, fighting the urge to scream, cry, or maybe even both. I didn't even wince as my nails – now sharp and longer than before – cut into the palms of my hands. I reached up, arm patting uselessly over the blankets until I felt my hand sink into the plush softness of a pillow. Not even lifting my head, I dragged it down, and squished it over my head, as if trying to block out a noise of some sort. Only, there was no noise.

The air around me was still and silent.

It was deafening.

Somewhere, I could feel a light pulling sensation, like something were tugging a cord that was connected to my heart and my head, and I groaned into the bed. "Not now, Arceus..."

I knew he wouldn't listen. I knew that, when I looked up, there would be another resting at the foot of the bed. Probably laying down, tail swept to one side, front claws crossed with one hind leg draping off towards the floor. The blue-scaled bastard. _Yuugi... _his deep voice murmured, with a tinge of sympathy, _You knew he would react that way. Why act as if you were expecting a different outcome?_

I moved the pillow, and sat myself on my elbows, glancing at the end of the mattress. There he was, just as I had pictured. Paws crossed, one leg almost brushing the carpet... His wings shifted along his sides, blinking those vibrant, light purple eyes. They almost looked silver in the lighting. I sighed again, and sat up, trying to avoid smearing any more blood on my blankets than I already had. "I don't know..." I muttered, making my nails shrink back to their normal, dull state. "I don't even know why I _try_ anymore. But I..." I glanced to the pale dragon. "It... isn't _fair_, Arceus! I mean, I could understand it if we were still six, but six_teen_? Malik's birthday was two months ago, we're all of age, and we haven't even been registered into the Matching system! Doesn't that seem to be just the _slightest_ bit ridiculous?"

He puffed out a warm breath from his nostrils, and I noticed his shoulders droop ever-so-slightly. The lethal-looking spikes jutting back from his skull seemed to constrict a little bit, making him look more nurturing, in a way. _There isn't much else we can do about it, Little One. It may seem unfair, but if Sugoroku is so vigilant about his decision, then it can only be for a very valid reason._

"I don't care how '_valid_' he thinks it is!" I snapped with a deep growl, "The entire point of the Matching program is to find your Kindred! It's practically impossible to do it any other way, and it... it just..."

It seemed that the option for tears began to overwhelm the one to scream, as moisture forced its way into the light. I stubbornly swatted away the beginnings of those damnable tears, sniffing instinctively. I felt Arceus press his pointed muzzle tentatively to my arm. I accepted his comfort, and wrapped the limb over his scaly neck. With the texture and appearance of them, one would think they would be rough and uncomfortable to the touch. After all, large spikes of natural armor shot away from the back of his head, neck, shoulders, and spine in a way that made it look as if he had crystals sprouting from his skin. But, actually, I had always found them to be soft – warm, even. Maybe it was just me...

I felt him shifting, so his head lay on my shoulder, the bumpiness of the scales on his muzzle pressing to my neck. He unfolded one of his white, membranous wings, and soon a reassuring pressure lay itself over my back, while one leg stretched over my lap. The birdlike talons of his left leg gripped firmly at my right hip, and I heard a deep rumble escape his throat. It almost sounded like a purr. I leaned into the familiar touch. It was a bit of a routine when this happened.

Whenever I got upset, ever since Arceus had awoken within me, I'd go to my room, and, well... we'd do this. It was how I found comfort. And, to anyone else that might have been observing, all that could be seen would have been a sparkling, light silver-blue aura where my Ka lay. Maybe a vague outline, if they were to focus hard enough. I sniffed again, and Arceus rubbed his snout against my cheek. I turned my head to look at him. A patient, understanding silver-lavender eye met my own amethyst.

_I know,_ he murmured quietly. I could detect a note of wistfulness beneath his tone. _I can feel it, too._

I cupped a hand over where my heart was without realizing it.

My brothers and I were sixteen. In any normal situation, it would be a long-awaited dream come true. That's how it was for most teenagers. After all, we had come of age. Had things been different, we would have been happily led downtown, hardly more than five or so miles from the game shop we lived in, and brought to the Matching Center. There, we'd take a test, and discover who our Kindred was.

I shrank more into my spirit-monster's presence at that particular thought.

My Kindred... My perfect match, my soulmate. The one I was supposed to meet, befriend, date, marry, settle down, have a family, and spend the rest of my life with. My one true love, the only one I could truly be compatible with. My protector, confidant, and closest friend. The literal _other half of my soul_.

And yet, here I was, sitting in my room, waiting my life away for something that apparently will never happen. All because of a grandfather's paranoia. To spend forever with this... this barren, gaping hole hollowing away at my chest. Feeling an empty space somewhere, in the very depths of my heart. My fingers brushed over Arceus' soft, off-white chest. I knew he could feel it, too.

I wonder if Ryou and Malik felt the same way?

My fingers flit over a patch in my Ka's chest where the scales were not like the others around it. They were hard and smooth, almost metallic. And, whereas the rest of his body was either varying shades of bright blue, turquoise, and white, this little spot was a flashy shade of gold. It was bizarre – just a random patch, in the shape of an upside-down triangle. There was a little marking in the center that looked like a third eye.

I was stirred from my thoughts as Arceus suddenly swung his broad head towards the door. I quickly wiped my eyes, and his grip over my side tightened on instinct. I looked up in time to see a white-haired head poke through a newly opened gap between the bedroom door and its frame. Pale lips and gentle brown eyes smiled over to me. I offered one back. He also offered a tiny wave to Arceus, who gave a short dip of his head back in return.

Out from behind Ryou, stepped his own Ka. She was dressed in loose, robe-like garments, and had two different kinds of wings on her back. The right was black and draconian, the left white and feathery. Her straight, amber-gold hair rested neatly over her shoulders, as well as above her pretty green eyes. It looked as if the right half of her body were cut directly down the middle, and drenched in shadow. Around her neck gleamed a strange necklace. It was gold, like the patch on Arceus' chest, made up of a hollow circle piece with a triangle set inside, and five gold cones dangling symmetrically off of the sides. And, also like Arceus, within the triangle segment, lay an eye-like symbol. She beamed, and offered a tiny wave.

That was another thing. I could clearly see Ryou's Ka. I knew I would be able to see Malik's, if he were in the room at the time, as well. It was strange, but I could see them almost as clearly as I could my own. The only difference was, where Arceus was solid to the touch, both Amane and Ra were translucent, and I would pass through them if physical contact were to be attempted.

"Amane and I wanted to check up on you," the albino murmured, his voice laced with the hints of a British accent. His doe-like gaze softened. "Another argument with Jii-chan, huh?" I nodded absently in reply. If it weren't for the wing at my back, I would have dropped to fully rest on the bed again. Maybe hide my face in a pillow. He crossed the threshold into my room, and sat on the segment of the bed that wasn't crowded by bright blue dragon. His Ka, Amane, instead placed herself by Arceus' haunches, which he didn't seem to mind.

"You know, Yuugi, you really shouldn't push him so much on these kinds of things," he murmured softly, laying his hand over my own, resting them in my lap behind Arceus' foreleg. I could feel the scales, but Ryou's hand passed right through them when they made contact with his skin. It was a bizarre sensation, to have the skin of two different people (or, in this case, a person and a dragon) touching the same area at the same time. "It must be a good reason, for him to be so adamant about it."

I turned to look at him, and I could feel the exasperation rising. "Don't tell me you agree with him, too," I grumbled, sulking.

"No, I don't, but I _do_ respect his decision."

"It's not _his_ decision to make, Ryou! We're talking about our _Kindred_, here, not whether or not we can have ice cream before dinner!" I shot back sharply, feeling my anger rising again, "Aren't you tired of being shut up in a house just... wondering what could be, or what makes us _so_ important, that we couldn't go to a public school or make a fucking _run to the store_ if we wanted to?!" He was silent, casting his gaze to the side. I moved my hand away from his own.

"Exactly. I couldn't care less what Jii-chan's reasons are. I am _not_ spending the rest of my life like this, just because he's scared of something that can't be helped." I carefully moved Arceus' claw from my legs, and stood up. I automatically, subconsciously began pacing despite the calming sensations my Ka sent to me through our mental bond. "I love Jii-chan, but I can't just sit idly by while our lives run away without us! I'm tired of... of feeling like there's a piece of me that's missing!"

There was a grunt of "agreed", from behind the walls of my room, and I saw Ryou stiffen. Amane and Arceus simply looked to the doorway again, the latter of them rolling his eyes. The knob turned, and in slipped the third and final member of our brotherly trio, along with his Ka.

A wild, spiky lion's mane of platinum blonde hair contrasted greatly with the deep caramel tan of Malik's skin, but somehow it all seemed to be pulled together nicely. Even the odd, lavender-hued shade of his eyes seemed to complete the image in their own, unique kind of way. And, despite our eyes having a similarly based color, my adoptive brother's seemed so very different, in comparison. They were full of mischief and an utter disregard towards rules. I swear, half the time that eccentric blonde was one nut short of a bag of trail mix, the near-insanity just barely balanced out by those little candies and raisins that were made up of his Ka, and his fierce protective streak towards our family.

I felt Arceus' amusement shoot across my mind at the comparison, and I withheld the urge to grin.

And, speaking of, here comes the lumbering beast now.

Ra, like Arceus, was also a dragon, of sorts. At least... that's what we _think_ he is. In complete honesty, he could have been a bird, too. It was a mixture, appearance-wise. For now, his form had been shrunk down to the size of a very large dog – he stood just a little higher than my own Ka, for the moment – and his... scales, so to speak, were smooth and plated, like metal armor. Even his wings, currently poised in a half-folded position above his back, looked as if they were just some grand mechanism, some kind of brilliant, transportable war machine. Each supposed "feather" was like a blade of solid gold, yet we all knew from experience, that it did very little to hinder the creature's flying abilities. Between his wide, bulging shoulders, was the beginnings of what seemed to be a ring, or the outline of a disk. His paws were made of oversized, wicked-looking talons, with a short frill coming off of the joints of his elbows, as well as one surrounding his head in a protective crown, almost. There was a vivid sapphire gem resting front-and-center in the plateau of his great forehead, only bringing more contrast to those regal, red eyes that shone like freshly-polished rubies. His entire body appeared to be crafted of gold, and an aura of royal proportions radiated from him in nearly smothering amounts. Yet, I knew the phoenix-dragon to be kind-hearted and actually quite playful at times.

Amongst the rest of the gold, just below where the collar of his neck might have been, one could easily miss the odd set of scales that were similar to those of Arceus and Amane. That same, eye-looking shape was embedded into his chest, only with a smooth, thin line running around the curves of his throat and nape. Like the chain of a necklace had been shoved into his body, and forgotten there, leaving it to morph and mark the golden plates of armor like a scar would.

"Yo." Malik flicked two fingers up in a greeting, offering us a short grin. Ryou only sighed in exasperation beside me; we were used to this treatment by now.

"Y'know, there's a door _right there_, perfectly suitable for opening, whenever you want to join in on a conversation, _Malik_."

_Here we go again,_ I thought to Arceus, who had to stifle a laugh, as it could both be seen and heard by the others in my room.

Said blonde scoffed, but before he could make a retort, I made sure to kill the subject before it even had a fighting chance. "So, what's going on in that brilliantly mad head of yours, then, Malik, seeing how we're all at a mutual understanding here?" I almost followed the urge to put my hands between the two, as if breaking up some sort of brawl. That brought the spark of... lets call it "genius" for now, and hope it all works out, back to my brother's eyes.

"Well, little Yuu-chan," he crooned, like an adult to a child, despite the fact that he is the _youngest_ out of us, and I am actually the _oldest_, "I think that answer would be rather simple, yeah?"

I exchanged a look with Ryou, Arceus and Amane doing the same with each other.

Malik elaborated – he probably would have done it anyways, even if we actually _did_ have an inkling of what he was implying. His voice was low when he spoke, and I actually had to lean forward a little bit to understand what it was he was saying. "Well, it's obvious that we don't want to spend the rest of our lives cooped up in the house, yeah? And we also don't want good ol' Gramps to find out about anything that we... may or may not do." I could already feel apprehension rising in the pit of my stomach. "So... I say, we sneak out. Tonight, after he's conked off, and go find out who our Kindred are, ourselves!"

I knew the alarm I felt had become visible on my face, because before any of us could reply, Malik gave a silent "shushing" motion. Ryou's mouth closed with the scarcely-audible _click_ of his teeth, and from my spot in front of the bed, I saw his Ka shift closer to him. Arceus even reached forward enough to grip my hip in his paw again, forcing me to shift closer to his pale, bluish-white chest. His dangling hind leg stretched to press firmly into the carpet below it. "Look, I know it sounds bad, and I love Grandpa, I really do..." he murmured, voice nearly inaudible, "but... like you said, Yuugi, it isn't his choice to make. Whatever his reasons are, I frankly couldn't give less of a fuck than I do now." His fist clenched, and I noted that Ra had subconsciously pulled his lips back in a half-snarl. "I'm tired of this numb, empty feeling in my chest! I'm tired of not being able to go out and experience the world, and I am _not_ going to let myself or my Kindred be forced into a life without knowing who we were meant to be with!"

Again, my hand came to press against the skin where my heart pulsed beneath. I felt the conflict racing along the stream of my Ka and I's mental connection, as we wordlessly tried to make a decision. I already knew that whether we went with him or not, Malik would attempt at following through with his little scheme. And, well, speaking from experience, he was probably going to be unsuccessful in this particular endeavor... I mean... sneaking out after dark? And, to get into the system after hours... we'd have to somehow, I don't know, break in, or sneak past security! Or... did they even have security at the Center? Maybe someone was actually there after dark? Oh, Gods above, this was confusing...

I was shocked, really, when Ryou was the first to reply. "I'm in." Myself, Malik, Arceus, and Ra all snapped our heads to the quiet white-haired teen I had come to love and consider as my brother. All eyes were wide – mine painfully so – and I could still feel the doubtless resonance of his words striking against my skull. Ryou had just agreed to go against the words of our elder, our father-figure, and risk the possibility of breaking-and-entering? And being _caught_, on top of all of that?

"I think Hell just installed an air conditioner," was all Malik said, giving a low whistle, before his face split with a wicked grin. Ryou flushed softly, and averted his gaze. Amane just glared at the blonde with that natural protectiveness of hers.

I just blinked. "Be sure to crank up the power when we get there, then," I added, brushing the fingers of one hand through my bangs, and into the wild ebony-and-orchid mass behind them, "Because so am I."

"Well, this is sure to be an adventure!" the Egyptian said with a quiet, manic chuckle.

"If we get arrested," Ryou mumbled, head resting in his hands, as if he were already regretting his decision, "be prepared to run. Fast. Because I will be chasing after you with the nearest blunt object I can get my hands on."

"_Hmm_," hummed our brother, "Good luck with that, considering we'd probably be wearing cuffs, or something."

"Well then! In _that_ case," came the reply, Ryou's drawl dripping with sarcasm, "I guess I'll have to settle with tackling you to the ground and dancing over your body, _considering_ you won't be able to use your arms to get back up with those handcuffs of yours."

"...At least you don't weigh much."

"I'll be sure to borrow a pair of cleats for the occasion."

* * *

I gingerly hoisted myself out from the open skylight of my bedroom, reaching out a hand to grasp another, paler one offered by Ryou. Malik was already shimmying his way across the rooftop, with Ra laying in wait on the grass, two stories below. By the snores that quietly traveled down the hall, hardly more than a whisper within my own bedroom, Jii-chan was still fast asleep. Actually, the entire neighborhood was most likely out for the night, as a matter of fact.

I stood and steadied myself, with Arceus easily slinking through the window behind me. He spread his wings, so the membranes were exposed halfway to the chilled night air, and slid from the shingled surface beneath our feet with quiet grace. I saw how the appendages opened more against the sudden air resistance beneath them, lofting the great dragon almost noiselessly to the lawn. Amane, who had been holding Ryou steady, looped her arms from his shoulders to around his waist, and sweetly guided him to the roof's edge in my Ka's lead. I saw him bite his lip to keep in a sound of fear when the robed woman suddenly jumped into open space. Her dual-colored wings spread, softening the landing, as she held her Ba tightly to her chest the entire time.

When their feet met with the ground, I noticed that the normally-faint auras that lingered around Ra and Arceus began to brighten a little. Gold, sunshine-like rays began to seep and wrap around the metal draconian, the same thing happening to my own Ka, though his glow was more of a silvery-white shade. I sat there, beside Malik, as their bodies began to increase in size. It was nowhere near as large as I had seen the two grow before, but it was still an impressive sight. Soon, one lavender eye peeked above the storm gutter, lined by those familiar, blue-and-white, crystalline scales. They still held a faint glow to them, but it was subtle.

Cautiously, I picked my way over to the enlarged form of my Ka, and carefully brought myself to scramble on top of his muzzle. His eyes had closed, and I could feel the patience of his presence as I went to seat myself on top of his large head, which, alone, was about as big as _I_ was in his current form. I saw Malik doing the same, looping his arms over the ring-like protrusion behind Ra's head, before the golden beast slowly moved away from the building, bringing his Ba down with him. I shifted, turning my body so it draped along Arceus' neck, and gently gripped the spiky-soft armor beneath me for leverage.

As he moved, already starting to lumber away from our childhood home, the magical aura returned. I watched as it seeped into the teensy cracks and crevices between his scales, and tried to keep in a surprised noise as his body shifted and changed beneath my own. Soon, he had shrunken down to the size, just smaller than that of a stallion, and I had come to sit upon the area of skin just above his shoulders. It seemed that Malik's Ka had also decreased in size, but the sun-colored dragon had instead opted to go down to a size that allowed him to drape across his Ba's shoulders like an elegant, metallic scarf.

I gently tapped on the back of Arceus' head, catching his attention. He gave a soft, rumbling hum to show he was listening. _Hey, Arce'?_ I murmured into our mental Bond, _Maybe you should shrink down, or go to our Room. I think it'd be best if I walked there myself._

I could feel the offense rising, but before he could get _too_ huffy, I elaborated. _Not that I don't appreciate you wanting to carry me! But, wouldn't it be a little suspicious, to see three random kids wandering down streets at like, what is it, midnight? Better to be as inconspicuous as we can._

There was a moment of silence, before the begrudging, _Alright, Yuugi..._ I sent my Ka mental thanks, and soon he was no bigger than a cat – the smallest size he could manage – leaving me to stumble a moment at the sudden contact with the ground. I winced as tiny, needle-like claws gripped at my pants-leg, pricking a little bit at the skin beneath, as Arceus climbed his way up my body, before perching on my left shoulder. It was a little awkward, even with his decreased size, and he wobbled somewhat unsteadily for a moment or two. I grunted in mild irritation as his claws bit into my skin again, stinging like mad, and he sent a quick apology. His tail wrapped over the back of my neck, hind legs giving out beneath him so he could flop gracelessly onto my shoulder. His front paws still held fast to my arm, but thankfully, the nails were now gone.

"So," Ryou spoke up, seeing that we were all situated, and probably a good halfway to the Center by now, "How, exactly, are we going to go about this?"

Malik just shrugged, Ra giving him a glare as he was jostled unpleasantly. "I dunno."

Ryou's hand slapped against his forehead with a groan. "This was _your_ idea! You don't have any sort of _plan_ on how we're supposed to get inside?"

"_And you're surprised at this, because...?_" Ra drawled, growling softly when Malik purposefully shook his shoulder in retaliation to the comment. The phoenix-dragon's voice sounded... strange, compared to Ryou or Malik, or my own Ka, for that matter. It was... fainter, and had a distant, reverberant quality to it. Like he was speaking into a cavern, and his voice was echoing off of the walls.

"Good point," Ryou hummed, and Malik sneered at him in that sibling kind of way. I rolled my eyes at the pair.

"Back on topic, please?" I sighed.

"Sorry," they replied in unison.

"_I don't think we'll have to worry about sneaking in, after all!_" Amane suddenly exclaimed from Ryou's right, pointing at a building in the distance, "_Look!_"

The building, from what I could tell, was a single story high – which looked rather out-of-place, given the taller, business-oriented towers around it. The exterior was smooth-looking, so I could debunk that the outside walls, at least, were made up of some sort of metal. Steel, maybe. The roof was rounded upwards in a subtle, dome-like shape, and there were a few tinted, scenic windows at the front of the building. A single, run-of-the-mill, push-and-pull door sat in a slight indentation made into the otherwise smooth exterior, also made up of glass, and wrapped in a secure-looking, dark metal frame. There was a smallish parking area to the building's left, where two or three vehicles sat. Neatly trimmed hedges lined small, well-maintained flowerbeds rimming the walls of the structure, with a few bushels of small, sweet-smelling blossoms planted at the bed's outer boundary. There was a sign a few yards from the building's entrance, looking similar to something someone would find posted outside of a dentist's office.

"_Domino City Kindred Matching Center_", it read. I felt an excited grin begin to show on my face. Behind the tinted windows, there was an unnaturally warm light glowing through. It was dim, but in the dark of night, it was easy to guess what it was.

There were still people working inside!

I fought the sudden urge to run the remainder of the way to the front door, trying to keep composure over the frantic, ecstatic buzzing that filled my chest and sent my heart soaring.

I was going to find out who my Kindred was!

I felt tiny, clawed fingers clutch at the fabric over my shoulder, and I knew that Arceus was experiencing the same, rapturous joy and exhilaration that I was. I glanced down at his small head, and our eyes met a moment. He managed a fanged, very dragon-like grin – something very uncommon, coming from my level-headed, rather dignified Ka – and I couldn't help but to chuckle. Yes, I did feel some guilt for sneaking out, and directly going against my grandfather's wishes, but I was _certain_ that this would be worth it!

Arceus lay his small, pointed head against my shoulder, giving a tiny hum, that sounded like a high-pitched purr. His mental presence did not change with his size, though his physical (or rather, _metaphysical_) one did. For example, no matter how his spiritual body changed, his mental "voice" sounded deeply regal, comforting, yet fiercely protective, all at once. However, the smaller his manifestation, the more high-pitched he would sound, on the odd moments he actually found it worth his time to speak aloud. Since no-one other than Malik, Ryou, and myself (and their Ka, of course) could actually _hear_ anything he may or may not have had to say, I knew that he found it a little tiresome. So, usually, nearly all communication between us was done mentally.

_You ready for this, Arceus?_ He shook his head slowly, giving a rare display of uncertainty. One that I certainly was not used to seeing. _Good,_ said I, and as we drew close to the entryway, I could feel the nervous anticipation in the air, _because neither am I._

"I think it'd be best for you three to disappear, for the time being," Ryou spoke softly, though not unkind, "I don't really know the rules or regulations of these kinds of places, but it's better safe than sorry."

Five hesitant nods answered his statement, two of them belonging to Arceus and myself. Yes, that _would_ be the best option, for now, just in case. However, the thought of not having my Ka's form weighing over my shoulder made me want to turn tail and book it back home. I was _so close_ to finding the key to unlocking my life, my future. It was just inside of this door. And that fact threatened to overwhelm me.

"_Fear not, Little One,_" Arceus cooed out loud, albeit quietly, into my ear, "_I will be by your side the entire time. Whether you can see me or not._" His textured muzzle rubbed gently against the shell of my ear, and I could feel the warm puffs of air from his nostrils tickling at my neck. Funny, how a spiritual manifestation needed to breathe... Though, it only made sense, the way his chest moved in sync with my own. Just as our hearts beat in rhythm, and our minds resided on the save wavelength.

He was a piece of me. Part of who I was, heart and soul.

And now, I could _finally_ find the one who held the other half.

The inside of the building was rather different from what I had expected. Unlike the sleek, futuristic scene that had been set on its exterior, the room my brothers and I had entered (our Ka now securely stowed away inside of their own Soul Rooms) was set up in a way that had be immediately compare it to the waiting room at a dentist's office. The floors were a generic, dark-brown shade, with walls painted in a light, woodsy beige. There was an information desk directly in front of the glass-paned door, with a large space off to our immediate left filled with chairs. They were wide and sturdy-looking, with an oak frame, and pale, creamy-colored cushions that seemed to be made out of a faux leather product that lined the scenic windows, and walls beyond them. All together, there were accommodations fit enough to seat maybe twenty people.

The only thing that stood out, was a door to our right, behind the front desk. Whereas everything else was warm, homey, and earth-themed, this door had a striking, metallic sheen that stood out like a sore thumb in the moderate lighting. There were no windows, no hinges along one side, or even a _handle_ to use. There seemed to be a small, square-shaped indentation at the door's center – framed by the thinnest of lines, which hinted at it being removable. What it was for, I didn't know.

There were two women seated behind the desk, looking tired and ultimately bored, for the most part. Upon our entrance, however, their attentions drifted from one another, over to my brothers and I. Their eyes widened marginally with surprise, but I honestly couldn't blame them. After all, who else would expect to see three random teens visiting a Matching Center well past twelve in the morning? Why this place was even _open_ was a total mystery to me!

"Uh, good... morning," I spoke up quietly, mouth suddenly having gone dry, eyes darting to the clock that hung to the wall behind the heads of the two women, with its tiny black "hands" now indicating that it was _freaking twelve thirty in the A-M_, "We... We were wondering if you could help us...?"

One of the women, with short, dark blonde hair styled in a pixie-cut fashion, rose an eyebrow to us questioningly. "Sure..." she drawled, the word drawn out and a tad over exaggerated, in my opinion. Her light, hazel eyes cast over us skeptically. "What'cha need?"

"W-Well, you see, Miss," I murmured hesitantly, trying to come up with an explanation as to why, exactly, the three of us had any sort of business visiting the Center at nearly one o'clock in the morning. "We're here to find out who our Kindred are, obviously, and well..."

The woman gave us a disbelieving look. "And this couldn't wait until later, because...?" Her brunette-haired companion had a suspicious glint in her dark eyes, and I saw her slowly began to lean towards what appeared to be a telephone. Thinking quickly, and panic making me act a little brash, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind:

"Well, you see, my poor, poor little brother-" I gave the slightest of motions towards Ryou, who I could tell was trying his damnedest to not make the glance he shot me look overly related to the words '_what the ever-loving hell are you talking about?_' "-he's been very weak and sickly, ever since we were little, and his illness began to worsen as we got older, so..."

"S-So he's been in the hospital, y'know, sick, for the past year or two. Trying to get better!" Malik quickly added. I nodded, putting on my best '_oh please won't you take pity on us?_' expression. I was never very good at lying, nor acting, for that matter.

"There were times we feared he wouldn't make it!" I contributed dramatically, trying to look as if I were pained, "I spent every possible moment by his side, even postponing the opportunity to find out the identity of my Kindred," I dared to spare a glance towards the two. The blonde wide-eyed and the brunette had a hand pressed to her mouth in astonishment. "So when the poor, ailing thing had to spend his sixteenth birthday bedridden in the hospital, he was just so _heartbroken_ at not being able to come down to the Matching Center to discover who his own Kindred would be!" I added, "The three of us made a promise that day, to wait until our brother began to recover, before coming here and sharing the experience together!"

It was then, that Malik (_as always_) decided to continue in our little charade, successfully throwing us beyond the point of no return. "And oh, the _cruelty_ of it all," he wailed, making sure our captivated audience _felt_ his hammed-up exclamation of sorrow, "When we were to discover that his illness was only growing worse! So, we decided, that tonight, it was now or never! We smuggled him out of that Gods-forsaken room, needing to keep that sacred promise, before our dear, sweet Ryou could no longer be here to fulfill it!"

There were two, twin gasps of horror and sadness from the pair, both looking ready to start crying at any moment. "Oh, Gods, I'm so sorry!" the blonde whispered, eyes falling upon the whitenette with such profound grief and sympathy. Ryou, however, was just _standing there_, giving Malik and I one of the most _confounded_ expressions I had ever seen on him.

Returning the two ladies' look of despair, I nodded. With the momentary distraction, I shot a quick glare at the bemused albino, and shifted the heel of one foot back subtly, before digging it into the toe of his sneaker. As he bent forward with and expression of discomfort, Malik shifted his arm ever-so-slightly, so that his elbow nailed poor Ryou right below the ribcage. He gasped loudly in pain, as I could literally _hear_ the breath being stolen from his lungs, and I flinched as his hands came up to clasp at his abused side. _Sorry!_ I mentally shouted to him. I maneuvered my foot to hook behind his own, and sweep it from beneath him forcing him to stumble into a halfway-slumped position. Malik, once more, made sure to knock with wind from his chest with another, open-palmed smack to the abdomen as the Egyptian went to 'catch' him. I turned around in mock-worry (though I would be lying if I said there wasn't some actual concern, after what Malik and I had just done to the poor guy), adding in a gasp for dramatic effect.

Ryou groaned in pain, making the two in front of us cry out in panic. "Is he alright? What happened?!" the blonde shouted, hands flailing in her sudden fear. The brunette offered to call the hospital, but stopped at the other's sharp retort. "No, you ditz! They smuggled the poor thing from his room to get him here! Imagine what would happen if they were found out? Ooh, Gods, are you alright?" she repeated.

Ryou gasped for air for a moment, and I stooped to one knee beside him, the regret on my face no longer an act, this time around. Ryou's normally-docile, doe-brown eyes glared up at me with fury. And I knew, there would be hell to pay when this was all over with. "_Sorry_," I mouthed to him, before wrapping an arm over his back, as if to support and keep him upright. "Oh no, Ryou! I-Is it your heart? Is it hurting you again?" I didn't exactly know what kind of 'illness' could effect the heart of a person, but it seemed to be the best bet when coming down to the severity of things.

Ryou just glared again, before his face dissolved into one of (somewhat) false pain, and his fingers gripped into his shirt more tightly. "Y-Yes," he stammered, trying to put up as much of a vulnerable front as he could to the receptionists, though I was beyond sure that we had gotten them convinced by this point. "I-I'm afraid so. I-I-It hu-hurts to... to breathe-!" He added a few shallow coughs for effect, bring a fist to his lips. I had to bite back a small, amused grin.

Well, wasn't _somebody_ a natural-born actor?

By now, the women had crowded up to us, fretting over him like mothers would over their child. "O-Oh, yes, I-I'll be fine... it will p-pass." A feeble expression of grief came over his pale face. "A-As will I, someday soon... Which is why we came here s-so late." I bowed my head, staring at the floor as my shoulders trembled with the overwhelming urge to laugh. Malik was less subtle, his frame shaking, and stifled snickers leaving his throat. However, in the stage we had set, the two employees mistook them for attempts to smother sobs.

His eyes began to water with crocodile tears, and I pretended to wipe my own away from my eyes while they were hidden from sight. "Ev-Even if it's just once, I... I want to meet my Kindred. I-I want to know them, an-and see them, and h-hold them... whi-while I still can-!" He broke off, feigning to be too overcome with emotion to continue speaking, adding in a few more coughs for effect.

Ryou – quiet, kind, empathetic Ryou – already had these (respectively, very kind) girls wrapped around his little finger!

"Oh, bless your devoted heart!" the previously-suspicious brunette whimpered to our white-haired companion, a hand pressing to her heart, "Any soul lucky enough to be Kindred to one like yours is sure to cherish whatever time it is you can spend together!"

"We've already wasted too much of your time!" the pixie-haired blonde exclaimed apologetically, "Please, follow me, and I'll show you what to do, alright?"

I gently set my hand on her shoulder, and she glanced to me. "Please, Miss, can we please go with him? We _are_ family, after all, and just... I fear to leave him on his own for too long, what with his illness..." I lowered my head slightly, making sure the odd golden fringe framing across my eyes would hang in front of them, and pulling my lips into the smallest of pouts. I looked up, into her hazel eyes, to finish the effect, hitting the young lady full-force with my patented _Puppy Eyes_. I could sense the cringing of Malik and Ryou beside me.

They were seasoned veterans to the Eyes. And they still crumbled before them _every single time_.

I had to withhold a smirk.

Truth be told... it was absolutely _fantastic_.

There was some hesitation – even a complete idiot could assume that the Matching process was _very_ personal, and therefore meant to be done privately – but resistance was futile. The Eyes and the sob-story were quick to win her over to our side. She nodded her silent consent, and quickly led us to the out-of-place door at the back of the room, while Malik and I helped Ryou to his feet (the poor guy was still trying to catch his breath!) before following behind her. The brunette took her place behind the desk, quietly sniffling and wiping away the few tears that had fallen during our dramatic escapade. I... felt rather guilty, really, making them cry.

Briefly breaking away from the small group, I reached over to a conveniently-placed box of tissues placed at the closest edge of the rounded front desk, and swiped one from its confines in a smooth movement. I offered a tiny smile as I offered it to her from in between my index and middle fingers, and she took it with a similar expression. As I merged with the group once more, I briefly saw as the blonde typed in a pass-code into what looked to be a keypad. It was centered in the handle-less door, where the indentation had been.

Huh. I guess it _was_ removable... In a sense.

"I can't personally walk you through the entire process, unfortunately," she explained, and the door gave a mechanical _whirr_, sliding open to reveal a bland hallway – it was colored exactly like the outside room – "But I _can_ tell you what to expect, and what you _should_ do as the test progresses."

_Test?_ I mentally echoed.

There was a light chortle of amusement that echoed through my head, and I could tell that Arceus was currently trying to keep a steady stream of laughter at bay. _I highly doubt, after a performance as moving as __**that**__,_ he quipped teasingly, _a little test will be any trouble for you three._

_Sh-Shut up!_ I gave as a feeble counterattack, trying to hold back a blush at my Ka's words. Arceus chuckled again, but thankfully fell silent; probably deciding to save my humiliation for a later date. When it would work to his advantage, I'd wager.

"You'll have to enter your basic information. Name, age, residence, blood type – if you know it – and so on. A picture of you will be taken, and facial recognition will help to pair your info up with any other kind of documentation in the system. Birth certificates and other legal documentation. There is a small... examination, of sorts, conducted on the composition of your souls. Aureole – magic, and-or aura – samples will have to be taken from the both the host body's Ba _and_ Ka, to enter you into the system and aid in searching for your Match. Every soul has a limit to how much power it can contain. This is represented by a wavelength scale, like the frequencies of a sound or light wave; a physical representation of your spiritual aura. The more dramatic the slopes of the wavelengths are, the higher the frequency. And the higher the frequency, the more powerful your spiritual bond is.

"As for the sample... It can be anything that is a piece of your own body, but it has been... partially proven, that something closer to the heart tends to have stronger, more swift results. Most people give up a few drops of blood for this, but you can also use a strand of hair, or something else you'd be more comfortable with giving up. Don't worry – everything is cleaned and sanitized both before and after each Matching."

I hummed quietly in thought. "What about the Ka?" I questioned after a moment. The answer was... somewhat delayed, but in a thoughtful kind of way.

"For your Ka... hm..." She stopped at the end of the corridor, also ending with a metal door. "I suppose it would depend, really." From my side, Ryou gave her a look, silently requesting elaboration. "Well, for those with humanoid Ka, or with a softer exterior, blood is again the more recommended option. For those with a harder exterior, such as an arthropod exoskeleton, or a draconian skin, shell or scale shards, sometimes even nail clippings, would be the easier choice. If you have an avian Ka, feathers would be your best bet. Mechanic, metal shavings or sometimes traces of gunpowder work. Those with less corporeal bodies need only to hover in front of the depository unit for a short while, so it can gain a sample, atmospheric or naturally based Ka just need a sample of their given element, and so on. Again, the closer to one's heart, the more potent the aura. Therefore, the better the chance at being Matched quickly and precisely."

"Ah, question," Malik interjected, "When you say 'quickly and precisely', do you mean... we could be Matched with the wrong Kindred?" The three of us exchanged worried looks, while her back still faced us.

She made an unsure noise, going to open that little keypad-indentation center in the doorway. "Not... necessarily. Obviously, your Kindred is like a shard of the soul – just like the Ka and Ba in a host body. That's how the program works. By finding others, whose souls lie within the same frequency – or wavelength, if you will – of each other. That's how one finds their partner. But, sometimes... the difference between aureole frequencies can be a little harder to distinguish. Those are the ones that take more time for a comparison. Some even have _more_ than one Kindred, so to speak. That's where it gets rather... confusing. However, the occurrence is very, _very_ rare. Even so, with so many different orientations to go through – this _is_ a worldwide database, mind you! – it... can take some time. So, speedy results are dependent on the strength in one's magical aura. The stronger the signal, the quicker the results, as I said before. It can last anywhere from a few minutes, to a few _days_ for anything to show up. And until the results are found, the subject _must_ stay inside the chambers until they appear. For privacy's sake, you know."

She paused a moment, as the keyboard opened, and glanced over her shoulder at us. More specifically, at Ryou, who still had his arm slung over Malik's shoulders in an absent way. He'd put it there when we kind of... half-helped, half-dragged him back here. I saw her eyes soften, looking sad but hopeful. "I just pray that you'll find your Kindred as quickly as you can," she murmured to him earnestly, a hand hovering over her heart. "All three of you."

Not sure what else to say, I just nodded. I could sense Ryou and Malik doing the same. _A few __**days**__?!_ I shrieked internally, and I could feel Arceus flinch at the volume our Bond emitted. _We can't afford to be stuck in here for more than an hour or two! There's three of us needing to be Matched, and even then we still need to get back home, and sneak in through the skylight before Jii-chan wakes up! What if he gets up and checks on us all before we're even home?_

I could sense him trying to send serene feelings and thoughts across our mental link as the kind woman opened the door, and waved us inside. _Just be calm, little one,_ he soothed, _Getting yourself stressed isn't going to help your aura. Nor the rate of which we receive our outcome. Just... breathe. It will be alright._

I just sighed, trying to keep the heavy breath quiet. I looked up, deciding to observe the room ahead of me instead. I felt my steps falter a moment as I did.

The room was... medium in size. About the size of the sitting room and kitchen pushed together, back home. So it was decent. Resting dead-center in the room, however, was the _strangest_ contraption I had ever laid eyes on! Like the shape of the building, it was circular, almost dome-shaped. There were several compartments all facing towards the center of this... ritualistic-looking setup. Walls made of thick metal sliced evenly through several points of the device, with the heavy, insulating roof arching above them. Each space was roughly five-by-five foot, standing at what I could guess as seven feet tall. From the ceiling, there was a thick pillar of wires hanging down, entering the structure right at its center-point. Peering inside one of rooms, I could see a computer-like device. A large keyboard and flattened screen, stretching the length of the entire back wall. A light shone down from somewhere in the ceiling. Two small, square-shaped pillars stood directly in front of the keyboard, with one pressed against the leftmost wall, the second to the right. Somewhere behind us, the woman flipped a switch, or entered a code of some sort, and I could catch glimpses of systems and machines powering on in three of the rooms.

Confused, I turned to look at her. She was hovering by the threshold of this new room. Obviously, this was as far as she was permitted to go. "I thought that the Matching process was usually done... y'know, alone and in private?" I... somewhat asked, somewhat pointed out, to her. Even if I'd convinced her to let us go through this... "test", together, it didn't seem very private to begin with. She just gave a tolerant smile, and nodded.

"Usually, when a person enters their individual compartment, I would enter a security code that would cause a door to slide in place behind them, therefore isolating them from the outside until results are given, or an override code is entered, to release them from inside. But, in the case of... you and your brothers," again, her expression took on a saddened look, "I will keep the doorways open so you can communicate freely amongst yourselves. However, if we were – though I highly doubt it – to have another person come in also looking to be Matched, standard protocol will have to be enforced. Oh, don't worry though! There's a panic button, of sorts, that you can press, which will immediately open the doors, should they have to be closed, and another setting you can choose to contact anyone at the front desk. In the case, that there's an emergency and immediate attention is needed."

An absentminded hum left my throat, as the three of us gradually inched closer and closer to...

_The other half of our soul,_ whispered my Ka, and I couldn't help but to grin giddily at his words.

The door was closed as the blonde woman exited, giving a small wish for good fortune upon us. I subconsciously gripped Ryou's hand – which had somehow found its way into my own – as the three of us eagerly made our way to the three, private segments. I drifted into the middlemost compartment, Ryou into the left, and Malik into the right. My palm felt surprisingly chilled as Ryou's reassuring presence physically slipped away, and the warmth and energy of Malik's enthusiasm was partially cut off by reinforced steel, lined with some sort of... soundproofing material I didn't know the name of.

"You guys ready for this?" I found myself asking aloud, knowing my voice could reach them from the open doorways at our backs.

Two muffled, simultaneous shouts of "_nope_!" was my reply. I couldn't help but to laugh.

"Me either!"

The screen gave a small flash of light, and the sentence _**please input information**_ showed up in white, block-y text against a pale, electronic blue backdrop. My fingers ran across the smooth keyboard, as I entered what I could into the required fields. I flinched back, as a grid of incandescent beams struck over my body out of thin air, and then vanished breaths later. Suddenly, several pages of documents began to flash up onto the screen, surprising me. It, too, was gone within moments, and I watched as the computer quickly spelled out my life's story for me to read.

_**Name: Mutou Yuugi**_

_**Birth: 06:27, June 4**__**th**_

_**Age: 16 Years**_

_**Height: 153cm**_

_**Weight: 42kg**_

_**Gender: Male**_

_**Blood Type: AB**_

_**Parents: Mutou Daichi (Father) – Deceased; Mutou Ashita (Mother) – Deceased**_

_**Extended Family: Ishtar-Mutou Malik (Brother, Adoptive) – Living; Bakura Ryou (Brother, Adoptive) – Living; Mutou Shinonome (Paternal Grandmother) – Deceased; Mutou Sugoroku (Paternal Grandfather, Legal Guardian) – Living**_

_**Residence: Domino City, Tokyo Providence, Japan**_

_**Educational Status: Unknown**_

_**Ka: Unknown**_

_**Attribute: Unknown**_

_**Subtype: Unknown**_

_**No known educational records. No known criminal records. No known records of physical/medical conditions and/or handicaps.**_

**_…_**

_**Please provide Ba Aureole sample for examination and comparison.**_

I started as a small _whirr_ sounded. Two thin, metal plates drew back from the surface of the square pillar at my left. It began to glow with a deep, royal blue light. It glanced around, as if looking for something, despite knowing that there was nothing in that little room to help me at the moment. Didn't she say blood tended to work best for this? I mean, it _did_ run closest to the heart, didn't it? But I wasn't exactly comfortable with having to cut into my own skin, even if it was just for a few drops of blood...

"Uh..."

_Try focusing on your hand?_ Arceus suggested quietly, _We don't need much. Try... scratching or biting, just enough to break the skin._ I felt my gums and fingertips begin to tingle as my Ka gently urged a partial Merging. I could feel his excitement, his anticipation.

_Gods, is this really happening?_ I couldn't help but to think, _Are we really... at the Center? Are we __**really**__ about to find out who our Kindred is?_ A sudden surge of emotion filled my chest as Arceus gave a mental affirmative, and I found myself staring at that little, blue-lighted square for a few seconds. Before I knew what was happening, a tiny sniffle sounded, and something hot raced down my cheek. I felt liquid drip down my chin, and I startled as an automated noise broke the silence. My eyes darted to the screen again, slightly blurred.

_**Sample accepted. Please provide Ka Aureole sample for examination and comparison.**_

I looked down to the scanner in front of me, and the cover slid shut again. I could just barely catch the glimpse of a translucent, faintly shining droplet against the glass-like surface of the device. I sniffed again, surprise filling me as I quickly wiped my eyes. Oh Gods, did I just _cry_ onto some... high-tech _thing_ without even _realizing it_?! Watch it put the word "_crybaby_" into my information!

"Yuugi?" I heard Ryou's muted voice call, "Are you okay? Something up?"

I wiped my eyes again, voice a little thick when I found my voice again. "Y-Yeah Ryou, I-I'm fine!"

"You sure?"

"Yeah! Just a little... overwhelmed."

There was a sympathetic noise – how I could actually hear it through this soundproofed place, I really have no idea – but otherwise, I was left to my own devices. Which I was actually quite glad for. It gave me some more time to... think...

_Something close to the heart..._ I pondered, managing to shake away from prior embarrassment with surprising ease. _What should we take from __**you**__, Arce'?_

_Well,_ the dragon mused back, and I felt a familiar tugging sensation as my Ka went to manifest, _I am... not sure if blood would be able to work from my standpoint, considering. And a scale... does not seem entirely close to the heart._

I glanced to my right, just in time to see my Ka's spirit manifest. He was a little bigger than a large dog, his long, spiky-soft neck craning as he observed the scanner he was to leave a sample for. My amethyst eyes raked over him in thought. I doubt he would be able to produce any sort of tear in earnest, so that certainly wouldn't work... And even if his scales feel soft and warm to _my_ touch, I _highly_ doubt that we would be able to find one loose enough to remove and offer up as a sample. Nails certainly weren't a very heartfelt thing to give up. And, considering the defensive, scaly skin he had, drawing blood would be like trying to drill a hole through metal with nothing more than a dull nail.

I paused.

_Wait a minute..._

"What about that?" I spoke out loud. My finger pointed nonchalantly to the bizarre, golden, upside-down triangle patch at the very center of his chest. His silver-lavender eyes tracked down his neck and chest slowly, one clawed hand coming to brush over the out-of-place "scales" in consideration. Close to his heart, unique when held in comparison to the rest of his body, and honestly... it was probably his favorite part of his appearance. Myself included, really. It _was_ rather beautiful.

I smiled at the silent decision we had come to, and bent down to one knee. I lightly skimmed my fingers across the patch, running carefully over the eye-like shape at its center. "One sec'," I warned, "This might be kind of uncomfortable." Giving in to the gentle tingles from earlier, I watched as the nail of my left index finger went from normal and human, to long, thick, and dragon-like. The tip was hooked and razorblade-sharp, and I experimentally tapped it to the pad of my thumb. I tried to hold back a wince as it easily slipped into the skin, and drew back with the tiniest smudge of blood tinting the ends with pale red.

My Ka patiently stretched his great neck upwards, head held high, but still inclined to watch me in his own sense of curiosity. The concept of pain or discomfort, as I had previously mentioned it, did not seem to faze him. So, I gingerly put that sharp talon to the patch over his chest, at the corner closest to when his heart lay. Careful to not put too much pressure on the metallic skin, I quickly drew the claw over it, peeling up a fine thread of curling, metal-like substance as it went. I gasped quietly as a faint stinging sensation followed the same path, only on my own chest. I heard Arceus gave a small snort of annoyance at the feeling.

"Sorry, Arceus," I murmured, rubbing a hand over the sting on my own body to quell it. I brushed a finger gingerly over the thin, two-inch scratch as an apology, and he just snorted. All was well.

I retracted the claw, so it became normal again, leaving behind a flat, smooth fingernail in its place. I examined the shred of gold between my fingers. Like the rest of my Ka, it held the fainest of silver-white glows around it. I exhaled, before glancing at the device at my right. And, for what was probably the fourth time that night, I asked: "Are you ready for this?"

His answer was the same. A hushed "_no_" with the hints of a smile.

I chuckled, despite feeling as if the breath had been stolen from my lungs. "Me either," I repeated, before dropping the golden thread onto the machine, and biting my lip in nervousness.

_**Sample accepted. Updating information...**_

I blinked. "Eh?"

The text from before, with my personal data on it, reappeared, scrolling across the screen in white as if someone were rapidly typing it all out again from another room. It was generally the same, only, this time...

_**Ka: Lightsworn Dragon – Arceus**_

_**Attribute: Hikari (Light)**_

_**Subtype: Dragon**_

And then the image I have been waiting to see for sixteen years.

_**Update complete. Beginning database analysis.**_

_**Searching for potential Matches...**_

And I sat there, and I watched, as data and profiles began to flash up onto the right part of the screen, in a rapid succession that gave me less than a second to look at what was showing. I could see glimpses of faces, flashes of a name, or age, or location. A strange, squiggly line of some kind below it. Some looked loose as a limp thread. Others, curling like a spring.

One half of the screen stayed the same. It held my picture – thinking now, that was probably what that strange, gridded light was for – in the corner of one side. To the side of my photograph, it held abbreviated versions of my basic data; my name, age, gender, birthdate, and the country I lived in. Below this, was a bar, of sorts, showing something... a little bit odd, in my personal opinion. It was a line that curved up and down multiple times, creating thin raises and divots in its form. Like something you'd see on a heart monitor, only _much_ more intense.

The words of the young woman who had led us here came rushing back to me.

"_Every soul has a limit to how much power it can contain. This is represented by a wavelength scale, like the frequencies of a sound or light wave; a physical representation of your spiritual aura. The more dramatic the slopes of the wavelengths are, the higher the frequency. And the higher the frequency, the more powerful your spiritual bond is_."

The... frequency, as she had put it, to mine and Arceus' Bond was... was... It looked like some random five-year-old decided to take a crayon and make the tallest, most thinly-spaced of scribbles they could manage all over the computer screen! Even _I_ had a hard time trying to find where one arch ended, and another one began! And I was standing right in front of the stupid thing!

I fell silent in contemplation, focusing in on the connection of Ba and Ka that Arceus and I held. If it were tangible, I could picture it as some sort of thick, glowing chain between us. Tying our hearts to one another, within a single body. I could feel it thrumming with life and strength. Something I had never thought too much of before. But, here and now, seeing the things that I was...

_Am I... Are we... really that powerful?_ I found myself wondering. The short, cherub-faced boy, and the regal, crystalline-skinned dragon. Sharing a host body. One that had been hidden away from the world ever since the man and woman whom had created it together left this mortal realm. The one that had been picked on by other bodies, shared by more mean-spirited Ba and Ka, on those rare, few-and-far-between interactions with others? One whose Ba had never... never really thought much about himself. And now, who can only think, _how can we possibly have that kind of strength? How can something so unassuming, be so... so..._

_And how can __**you**__ have such doubt towards yourself?_ I heard Arceus rumble mentally. He shifted, and I sensed his presence draw closer as the beast came to seat himself at my side. I glanced over to him as he raised his head in that subconsciously regal pride of his, standing a few inches taller than myself. His lavender-hued eyes were docile, and observant as he apathetically observed the flashing of the screen before us. For a moment, I could picture Malik and Ryou, doing the same with Ra and Amane.

_What?_ I ask, and his visible eye darts to me for a fleeting moment.

His stance relaxed, and one glowing wing stretched towards me. I felt the gentle membrane settle across my back, the wrist of the appendage coming to lightly scratch against the base of my neck and skull. The long, spindly fingers of it curled ever-so-slightly, making a hammock of the membranous skin to my side. I grunted as Arceus pulled in, drawing me close. _You do not think highly of yourself,_ he murmured with a sage-like essence, _One could say you see yourself as inferior to myself. And do not try to object, Yuugi,_ he added, as I opened my mouth to do just that, _I am a piece of you. I can hear what you are thinking. And, as a part of your soul, you should __**know**__ that you are, in no way, lesser than I. You are my Ba, and I am your Ka. Two parts of a shared soul. We are __**equal**__ in every sense of the term. Even if you do not see it that way._

I looked down, inhaling slowly. I opened my mouth to speak again, only to be interrupted by a high-pitched _ding!_ I looked up in time to see a new line of text scrawl across a now-settled monitor.

_**Aureole Match found. Retrieving information.**_

My eyes widened as a new page came up.

_**Name: Sennen Yami**_

_**Birth: 06:27, June 4**__**h**_

_**Age: 16 Years**_

_**Height: 160cm**_

_**Weight: 47kg**_

_**Gender: Male**_

_**Blood Type: AB**_

_**Parents: Unknown**_

_**Extended Family: Roshannai (Mother, Adoptive) – Deceased; Sennen Bakura (Brother, Adoptive) – Living; Sennen Marik (Brother, Adoptive) – Living**_

_**Residence: Unknown**_

_**Educational Status: Unknown**_

_**Ka: Dark Judgment Dragon – Oscuridad**_

_**Attribute: Yami (Darkness)**_

_**Subtype: Dragon**_

_**No further records found.**_

His magic's frequencies were in the same, overpoweringly scribbled state as my own.

There was a picture. I felt the air leave my lungs.

Sharp features, an oddly familiar mass of tri-colored hair, and striking, garnet-red eyes.

The first thoughts I had after reading was _we were born at the same time_; the second _oh my Gods, look at that face_; the third, _their names sound so... __**alluring**_; and the fourth, _his eyes are so pretty..._

The rest was kind of a jumbled mess.

Arceus nodded in a kind of wonder I had never seen with him hummed. _It appears that his Ka is also a dragon... However, our Attributes are completely opposite of one another. The subtype is the same, though._

Another pause, and then:

_His eyes __**are**__ rather pretty._

I laughed, in spite of myself.

"Yuugi?" I heard two voices call from either side of me. Both sounded... a little off. Bewildered, astonished even. Like they were in awe of something. And I knew, that my brothers were looking to their own screens, and straight into the faces of who held the other part to their soul. "Everything okay?" Ryou added after a moment.

My mouth moved without conscious thought. "I..." My throat suddenly tightened, and I had to swallow down the surge of emotion that sang its way through me. "R-Ryou, Ma-Malik... Guys, I-I found him!" I laughed again, breathless, enraptured, happy, in disbelief. I felt a tear run down my cheek, but made no move to wipe it away. "I f-found him! I can see him!"

Anything they may have said in reply was lost to me, as I found myself latching my arms over Arceus' scaly neck, and squeezing as hard as I could in a mixture of excitement and anxiety and _happiness_ that I didn't know what else to do. I knew that it wouldn't hurt or discomfort him in any way. "We found them," I murmured quietly to him, repeating it like a mantra, "We _found_ them, Arceus!"

It felt as if everything were _finally_ falling into place.

Yuugi and Arceus, the Ba and Ka; and now... Yami and Oscuridad, our Sheut and Ib.

Something Jii-chan told Malik, Ryou, and I when we were younger came to mind. It was one of the only times he had openly spoken of the concept of Kindred, and the bond between them. It hadn't been long since Malik and Ryou's Ka had awoken, and Arceus had been with me for several months at the time. So we had asked him about our Ka, and what they were. Why they were there.

"_The soul is split into five pieces,_" he had said to us. "_The Ren, the Ba, the Ka, the Sheut, and the Ib._

"_Your Ka is one of those pieces. They are a segment of your soul. You are a part of that, as well; called the 'Ba'. The Ba is thought to be __**everything**__ that makes someone special!_" I remember the way he had sounded, so full of wonder and wisdom, as if explaining the world's secrets, even if a lot of the words he'd used at the time hadn't really made sense to me. Which, in a way, he had been. "_The Ka is your vital essence. It is what shows the difference between life and death, and will be the form you will take when your time in the mortal world is over._

"_Your Kindred is another two parts of the soul. In a way, you both share a single soul – one that's just been split in between you. Where they are the Ba and Ka to each other, they will be the Sheut and Ib to you and your Ka, and you will be the same to them. The Sheut... is much like your shadow; they are always present, and holding a piece of what you represent, as a person. And what would be your __**Kindred's**__ Ka, would be __**your**__ Ib. They are your metaphysical heart – the seat of emotion, thought, will, and intention. They are a key to you finding the Afterlife when you pass away, just as your Ka is to your Sheut. The Ib is what the Gods use to decide on whether your soul is pure enough to join them in the Afterlife, or not._"

"_What about Ren?_" Ryou had asked.

"_Ren, my boy, is your name, given to you at birth. As long as your Ren is spoken and remembered, your soul will live on in the Afterlife. The Bond connecting all parts of your spirit is called Akh. However, once the Ren is forgotten, you and your Kindred will be reborn into the world. And then the cycle repeats itself!_"

He had looked rather pleased with himself at that moment.

"_That is why Kindred are so special! They hold the other half of your soul, and are your key to living happily both in the world of the living and the dead. It is also why we pray for the names of our loved ones after they've passed, so they can spend as much time together in the Afterlife as they can, before having to be separated and search for each other again._"

"_Like Kaa-san did for Tou-san?_" I had asked, recalling the nightly occurrences where I would find my mother before my father's shrine in our old home. Sometimes she'd be silent, others she would be speaking in a hushed voice. Now and again, I would see her cry. It made me sad, too. I couldn't – nor did I want to – imagine being forced away from a half of your soul the way she had been. It must have hurt. "_Or you and Baa-chan?_"

He'd looked pained for a moment, at that, and it was in that moment that I had concluded:

Yes, being separated from your Kindred _did_ hurt. It hurt _a lot_. Which was a large part of the reason why I had never understood why Jii-chan had tried to keep us from finding our own.

But we've _found them_, and I dared to think that... everything would be okay, now.

And that was when the power of my compartment cut out, and door behind me slammed shut.

* * *

_Fallen: DUN-DUN-DUUUUUNNN. CLIFFHANGER. Not bad, if I do say so myself XD Oh, fun fact: this chapter officially breaks my personal record for the highest word count in a single chapter! Just over 12.5k – hot damn!_

**Nickey: Holy shitocky mushrooms! That was freaking intense... JUST SAYING! Lol! Well, I sure as hell hope this makes up for her long ass absence... :3 I think my brain might've died while scanning for errors XD Hope you all enjoyed though! Guess that means it's my turn now ^w^ Until next time *waves* Goodbye!**

_Fallen: **Please** leave a review, and tell us what you think? :) See you all in the next update!_


	5. Heartbreak

**Me: Okay... I dunno how long this chapter will be, but I know it's not going to be no 26 pages long or anything... *cough* *cough* Fallen *cough* Anyway, I think Fallen covered all the explaining and describing in her chapter... So I'm going to attempt to not repeat anything she said, but rather just come in with the Yami POV...**

_Fallen: __**Veeery**__ subtle, Nickey. Need a cough drop? *laughs* And yeah, I tried to cover most of the symbolism and seniment and whatnot for the story in that chapter, but god knows I'm forgetful and probably left out a detail or two. But meh. I'm so excited to start working on the next chapter for this story, and to show everyone what we've got in store for them in the future! :'D Well, I'll stop rambling now._

_**Enjoy the chapter!**_

**Disclaimer: Fallen and I do not own YGO or anything pertaining to YGO. This is a fanmade fic made for entertainment purposes only. (You forgot this last chapter, Fallen...** _[Well, shit, I better go fix that now]_**)**

* * *

_**~ Chapter V ~  
**_

_Heartbreak_

* * *

It was extremely dark. Almost as dark as the time I'd entered the Room to my heart. I kept hearing distant sounds, but couldn't make out what they were. Suddenly I felt... defeated... As if everything were suddenly of no use to me anymore. Why was I feeling all this heartache? All this pain? It sure as hell didn't make any sense to me.

I felt as if I could just sit there and cry for the rest of the day. That was impossible, I'd given up crying. I hadn't cried for so long, because it was pointless. It was my fault we were in this place today, and crying did _nothing_ to help.

I heard a rumble off in the distance. Oscuridad. He couldn't talk to me, and he couldn't reach me, but he continued to let me know he was there. I could feel his anger, feel how badly he wanted nothing more than to rip his talons through someone's flesh. The anger bubbled inside me, making my sadness turn to uncontained fury. The growl that escaped my lips surprised even me, which caused me to chuckle at myself.

The darkness began to swirl around me and I closed my eyes, relaxing into the shadows.

"Yami!"

I opened my eyes, hearing my brother's muffled yell for me. Why was he yelling? And for that matter, why was his voice breaking? Was he crying? Man, nothing made sense anymore.

The scene around me started to shake, as if I was being stirred from my position. Which also didn't make sense, since I was still in the same position I'd been in from the start.

Once again I closed my eyes, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep and let the shadows take me to wherever they willed.

"_YAMI_!"

My eyes shot open at my brother's scream, looking up I found Marik hovering over me, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. Bakura sat next to him, a look of worry and concern on his face, his own tears beginning to streak down his cheeks.

"Why are you guys crying?" I ask, my voice sounding a bit hoarse after waking from my slumber.

"_Idiot_! We've been yelling for you for ten minutes!" Marik snapped at me, anger and worry lacing his voice.

"You scared the bloody hell out of us," Bakura growled. His white hair looked a little messier than usual – not that it was overly tidy to begin with.

My eyes roamed back up to our big brother who was leaning over my face. His hair was pretty tousled, too – again, not like we could help our messy hair. I shrugged before sitting up, out of my brother's arms. "You didn't have to cry though. Jeeze, I'm fine."

"You _looked_ dead, idiot. Next time you wanna sleep, sit up and do it, don't pick a new position just because you're bored!"

"I didn't pick a new position because I was _bored_. I picked a new position because the last one was uncomfortable."

"Then don't lay on your back like someone would lay a body in a casket!"

"Damn – you're too loud, and it's too early for listening to you." I lifted up my hand and playfully threw it over my brother's face. Sure I was the youngest, and his 'baby brother', but he didn't have to scream at me over something so stupid.

All of us turned towards the door, myself with half-lidded eyes as I was still somewhat asleep. The damned thing made a click, yet no-one had walked in yet. That's never happened.

"Okay boys," the woman sang as she entered. The 'woman' as we referred to her as, couldn't have been much older than us. We were sixteen and she didn't look any older. Then again I hadn't seen anyone else outside of the faculty members since I was six. For all I fuckin' knew people could've developed some anti-aging shit.

"Time for lunch!" she continued to say in her usual, cheerful tone. "Yami?"

My eyes were already half-lidded, and I hated when she singled me out; kinda pissed me off. So instead of lowering my eyelids, my brows furrowed and I shot her a glare. I couldn't help but think she was annoying. She may be cheerful and nice on the outside, but she's still a faculty member of this hell hole. "What?" I growl, jaw clamped tightly shut.

"Aren't you going to eat today? I made a bunch of good food."

"Did you poison it while you were at it?"

I didn't miss the hurt look in her eyes at my words. I just chose to ignore it, why should I care if I hurt her feelings? Not like anyone cared to hurt me, feelings or otherwise.

"Yami" Marik scolded me.

"What? Why should I care about her? She's no-one special." What the hell was I getting yelled at for?

"You'll have to excuse him, he's an asshole."

"What the fu-"

"And watch your language!" he scolded, thumping me on the head with his fist.

I simply growled at my brother, returning to the wall that I usually sat against. As I sat there I leaned my head back, the heartache beginning to return. It was a mixture of anger and sadness and honestly I was confused. I haven't felt emotions like this in a long time... so what was going on? My hand shifted to where my heart once lay in my chest. Why now? Why after all these years of being locked up, am I suddenly feeling so pained? Why do I feel so... _alone_?

"You look like you're in pain," Bakura said softly from beside me.

"I'm fine," I whisper back, my voice not able to manage more than that.

"Doesn't look like it," he argued back.

"Will you ju-" I was cut off by our older brother cramming a biscuit in my mouth.

"The least you could do is eat. I thought you wanted to die anyway. So if it _is_ poisoned, won't you get what you wanted?" Marik grumbled bitterly, looking at me with _those_ eyes.

Under his stare I shrunk downwards along the wall. He'd looked at me with those eyes once before. The eyes that always show that no matter what he says, he doesn't mean it, and he hates the fact that he has to resort to saying it just to get his way. Meaning: sure, he spoke the words, but he didn't actually _mean_ them. He was just saying them so I would eat again.

"I don't like being here any more than you do. But just watch. You'll see; we _will_ get out of here."

"Not unless it's in a body bag," I spat bitterly. Marik may be the older brother, he may be the one that tries to shine light in us all, but nice words were just that. I've faced the facts. I _have_ given up. I _don't_ believe that we'll see the light of an actual _day_ again, outside of this prison. This was our world, the 'yami' world. Dark, full of despair, where no light dared to touch.

A man entered our room an hour after we had eaten. He told Bakura to come along and he did as he was told. Marik and I just sat there, allowing our brother to be handcuffed and lead out of the room.

I felt as if I were trapped in an endless cycle. One that would eventually drive me mad. I _had_ to have _some _type of endurance because I hadn't gone crazy or needed a padded room... at least, not yet. They hadn't put me in a straight jacket so I knew I was okay so far. But either way, my mental stability, I could feel it beginning to waver.

Unconciously I began to rock back and forth. The rock wasn't enough to notice unless you were paying very close attention, which apparently my brother was. Marik got up and walked over to me, his hand running through my hair gently. "It's going to be okay. You'll see," he whispered again.

"Why... Why are we being locked up like animals in a zoo?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know why..." I could hear the sadness in his voice. I heard all of his thoughts in just that one sentence.

"Marik.."

"Yeah?"

"I'm not disappointed in you. I don't hate you or anything. And it's okay if you're still afraid of me... I'm afraid of me, too..."

I heard his quiet gasp, and I didn't need to look over at him to know his eyes were wide. "Yami... How... How are you _not_ disappointed in me? If I had grabbed your hand that day... If I had just pulled you away-"

I cut him off. "Then we would've been captured without a fight." I didn't want him to blame himself for all of this. It was my fault, anyway. "Marik, I know that it was my fault you two got captured. If I hadn't transformed and shocked you guys into not moving the way I had, you two would've escaped. Even if I had been trapped here... and... I would've been okay with that." My voice lowered to a whisper with the last sentence. It was the truth. Everything that had happened to us... It was all my fault. Thanks to me, we could never be free, we would never meet our Kindreds, and we'd never be safe.

"Yami, I don't blame you. It was our fault too. After all," he added, his voice becoming more cheerful as he continued, even though it was still laced with sorrow, "You're _our_ little brother. _We're_ supposed to protect _you_. But... we failed to do that. So... I'm sorry... _We're_ sorry."

"I never blamed you guys anyway..."

"We _will_ get out of here, Yami," Marik repeated for the umpteenth time, "I dunno _when_ and I dunno _how_, but you'll see. We'll be free again."

"Wishful thinking?" I ask teasingly, a smirk pulling at the corner of my lips.

"Shut the fuck up," he chuckled, playfully shoving me, making me fall to the side.

Our happiness was short-lived when a guard came in and took Marik, bringing Bakura back in and putting him in the opposite corner. They always seperated us when we started to do things like laugh or have any sort of fun. I had caught onto their game long ago. They were trying to keep us seperated, without actually placing us in different rooms. They wanted to break us, without shattering us completely.

I had a few theories on why they did this, but none of them made any sense. Maybe whatever they wanted from us required _some_ amount of mental stability. If we were seperated, the isolation would surely make us go insane right off the bat. We'd be so grief-stricken, that survival would no longer be possible for us. Either way, they wanted to keep us together, and I didn't think they'd leave us by ourselves for any extended period of time, aside from going in for experiments.

I honestly lost count of how many experiments I've been through. I think the last one was

'Experiment Eight-Hundred-Fifty-Nine', going off of what one of the scientists said. Not that they went in any consecutive order or anything... It's not like they started with 'number one', or something like that. We were covered in holes from the IVs, shots, blood and skin tests and samples, pain and endurance observations, and any thing else that they just happened to think of. The tests were meant to cause us pain, from the skin sampling where they actually _peeled off_ parts of our flesh, to the pain tests that were simply there to see how much pain we could endure before we let out a yelp. Or passed out.

Whichever came first.

Marik and Bakura had broken before I did. After all, I have felt one of the greatest pains one can face. I've _witnessed_ the greatest pain that someone could possibly feel, first-hand. I'd watched my whole world come crumbling down right in front of my eyes. Nothing was more agonizing than watching your loved one fall into Death's hands right in front of you. _Nothing_.

At least, that's what I believe.

* * *

We ate dinner in silence, not really knowing what to talk about. Well, at least, not for any subject that would allow us to stay in the same room. Fortunately, that didn't last long. Because, pretty randomly, Bakura started to feel pain in his stomach and chest. "Hey, I have a question," he gasped, after catching his breath.

Marik and I exchanged looks before looking back at our middle-brother. Bakura motioned for us to lean in closer, which we did, curious as to what our brother wanted to whisper to us. If it needed for us to be quiet enough that any potential, outside parties couldn't hear, it had to be important.

"Have either of you two... felt anything, at all today?"

My eyes widened a bit. Had Bakura been feeling all those... emotions, that I had been? What about Marik? Had he felt anything? My line of sight shifted to our older brother, who just stared at Bakura as if he'd grown a second head. "Marik?" I whispered, reeling back a bit when he turned his wide-eyed sights on me.

"S-Sorry," he said, blinking away the shock that his gaze once contained. "Yami, have you been feeling it too?"

"Y-Yeah... Th-That's why I kept my eyes shut earlier. I felt so many emotions that I haven't felt for so long... I-I was just trying to figure out who's they were... Where they came from all of a sudden..." My voice had dipped to a lower tone with the last sentence. I _did_ know that those feelings, those _emotions_, weren't mine. But.. who's were they? And why was _I _feeling them?

A knock on the door stopped our conversation in its tracks. We exchanged a glance with one another, brows raised, before looking back at the door. "Since when do they knock?" Marik scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"I always knock," a familiar voice chuckled. A teenager with short, brown hair, and sharp blue eyes popped his head in the door. The brunette reached his arm outside the door and flipped on all the lights, which caused us to cover our eyes quickly.

"Leave it to Seto to be the dunce of the faculty," I half-chuckled, half-muttered.

"Almost everyone else is gone," Seto informed us.

"What!?" The three of us yelped in unison, standing up from our spots on the floor.

"Whoa, I said _almost_ everyone. I barely got away to come talk to you guys."

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Bakura asked, voicing all our thoughts into one sentence.

"People will be coming in here any minute. They've found your Kindreds."

"Great, so another family is about to be violently ripped apart..." I grumbled bitterly. "Maybe they'll Merge with their Ka, too, and destroy this dump."

"No. They didn't hunt them down like they did you three," Seto explained to us, his face matching his serious tone of voice. Something dark flickered behind his eyes.

"Well, then how did they find them?" Marik asked, the suspension getting to him.

"The three of them came into the Matching Center downtown. Pegasus saw the results of the Test and trapped them inside."

"The hell is a Matching Center?"

"The Matching Center was made to help people find their ideal Matches. Their Kindred. It makes it a lot easier to find them. However, thanks to that Matching Center, your Kindred are about to be in the same predicament as you guys are. Pegasus has ordered over half of the men from this facility to the Center with tranqualizers. If one of them attempts to Merge with their Ka, they will be taken down before any destruction can come to the city."

"Great. Just what we need, a bunch of men with tranqualizers," I cheered sarcastically.

"Your sarcasm is as great as ever, I see," Seto chuckled in reply to my comment. "Alright, I have to go. I'm sure they'll be here within the next half hour. Given that nothing happens before then..."

He walked out of the room with that ominous message, flipping the lights off on his way out. Somehow, I found myself silently hoping nothing would happen. I wanted to meet my Kindred, but I also wanted yell – no, _scream_ – at them for being so stupid. My brain ended up a mess, which I didn't get. I don't believe I've ever been so conflicted before. But then again, I've been here since I was _six_. Back then, the only thing to be conflicted over was what to have for a snack.

"I can't believe they finally found them..." I heard Marik whisper, his back sliding down the wall. I shook my head free of it's conflictions, and looked back at my brother. "Ten years, and they finally found them..."

"All three of them at once, though?" Bakura pondered aloud, earning our attention. "Isn't it kinda weird that the three of them went to this Matching Center at the same time?"

"I dunno," Marik returned, almost sounding _lost_, "We don't even know who they are. Every time Pegasus would put us in the system, I don't think our Kindred weren't even _registered_."

I spaced out as my brothers continued to talk. My eyes looking around, but not really _seeing_ anything, as my brain became a jumbled mess again. I closed my eyes when a headache began to surface, retreating to my Soul Room where I could be alone. It was quiet there. If Oscuridad were still free, I was pretty sure it'd be the exact _opposite. _But since he was trapped, I was alone.

"I dunno if you can hear me or not," I said aloud, my voice echoing in the darkness, "but they found them, Oscuridad. They found our Kindred... And now they'll be put in here like me and Marik and Bakura." I couldn't help how small my voice became at that last sentence. Now our other halves would be put in here, like animals in a cage. After being free all this time, they were to be locked up.

"They should've known better... They shouldn't have gone to that Center..." I growled softly to myself in conflict and confusion. Even a little bit of grief. "What were they _thinking_?"

I felt defeated. It was as if everything was... over now. Our Kindred were supposed to stay away from this place, not get trapped in it _with_ us! My sadness turned to anger, and my anger to rage. Pegasus would pay for this. _All_, of this. We would have our revenge, even if it took us a lifetime. Bringing our Soul Mates into this mess... that bastard had just taken a step too far. _He will pay_. I'll make sure of it.

Even if it's the last thing I do.

* * *

**Nickey: THAT is where I am ending that. I hope you all enjoyed, have a happy and safe, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to those of you who do not celebrate Christmas, either way, I hope you enjoy your winter. Be safe everyone! My wonderful Hikari here gets to take over next chapter, but we wanted to give you this one as a Christmas present from us to you! Until next time everyone! *waves* Goodbye!**

_Fallen: Oh-ho, so __**I'm**__ your __**Hikari**__, am I? Why, Nickey, I'm flattered~ XD Well, anyways, I can't wait to finish up my own chapter, now that we're finally starting to get somewhere! I __**PROMISE**__, you guys won't have to wait another four-to-six months like you have in the past for my next contribution. I'm on winter break until January 5__th__, so we've got that much going for us! Plus, I'm just straight-up excited as fuck to get this show on the road! XD_

_Ok, I'm done, have a happy December, everyone~!_


	6. A Rude Awakening

_Fallen: Hey, everyone! I known it's a little late, but what the hell? Happy New Year! :) And, may I just say, that I am personally __**very**__ proud of myself for how quickly I cranked this chapter out. I finished it within... what? Like a week or so of Chapter 5? And I was spending the weekend at a friend's house when I did it! *laughs*_

**Nickey: Yeah, what she said! Happy New Year you little hooligans! Ya know, Fallen here actually got this chapter out really quick... (Compared to all her other times she failed miserably :P) lol But! We hope you enjoy, ladies and gents. [Don't forget the disclaimer, chapter number, chapter name, and title this time, Fallen... I know how bad you are about that...] ^w^**

_Fallen: Hakuna your ta-tas, woman, I've got it._

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more. Enjoy!**

* * *

**_~ Chapter VI ~_  
**

_A Rude Awakening_

* * *

"H-Hey! Let us out of here!" I pounded a fist heavily against the metal door, yelling for help, "There's someone inside of here! Open the door, please!" Frustration and panic began to fill me as I banged an open palm against the doorway in one final attempt to draw attention to my situation. I paused a moment. Were my brothers in the same predicament? Oh, Gods, I could only imagine how Ryou was feeling, if they were! The poor thing had _terrible_ claustrophobia. I could only hope Amane was managing to keep him calm.

"Ryou! Malik! Are you guys alright?" I tried again.

Nothing.

Arceus maneuvered himself carefully at my back, trying to turn to face the same way that I was. He ambled forward, and I watched his long, spiked head as it tilted up and down. Surveying the walls before us. His claws clicked quietly together as he raised a lethal-looking paw, and lightly tapped at the steel caging that had trapped us inside. His metaphysical talons scratched lightly against the surface, which brought on confusion. Quickly followed by dread.

"You can't phase through the wall," I breathed quietly, though the observation was obviously not required, going by the grim look in his silver-purple eyes. He just shook his head at me in silent affirmation. "So that means... that we're stuck here, until either the power turns back on, or someone outside notices that something went wrong?

It had already been – well, going by an estimated guess – fifteen or so minutes since the power had initially cut out. And, with cramped spaces, odd mechanical components, and absolute dark _nothing_ to greet me, I was beginning to feel my anxiety rise. I'd already tried pressing the aforementioned 'panic button'...

It hadn't done a damn thing.

I clenched my fists a second time, intent on smacking that bitch of a door until someone finally _noticed_ and got us the hell out of there, but was stopped. Arceus had decided to intervene on my plans, shifting his scaled hips quickly, to slide his thick, weapon-like tail into my direct path. I looked to him sharply, but before I had a chance to voice my complaints, he just shook his head. Slowly, almost sadly. I saw concern in his gaze, and for some reason that seemed to trigger the downfall to my adrenaline rush. I gasped and hissed in pain as I felt my hands and wrists begin to throb along with the pulse of our heart. I bit back a whimper of discomfort, and rose the now-quivering limbs close to my face so I could see them better. My Ka leaned his head closer, as if to inspect them, himself. His soft, bluish-white aura gave off the faintest of illumination from his spiritual manifestation, and I was beyond thankful for the light. It wasn't powerful, but it was bright enough to paint the tech around us in a gentle, feathered glow, allowing my diurnal eyes to just barely make out the shapes surrounding me.

I gently turned my hands over in his ever-present lambency, and silently marveled at their appearances. The outsides of my dominant hand – which had been used for the majority of my wall-hitting – had taken on deep, purplish bruising, while the palms and knuckles had adopted a slight, irritated red shade. My non-dominant hand was in somewhat better shape, with minimal bruises and more of a pinkish color to show their tenderness, rather than the apparent inflammation in its other, but that didn't mean it hurt any less. The shock of the metal barrier had traveled down my arms, and I winced as the joints of my wrists pulsed mildly in pain.

A soft, sympathetic grumble rolled from Arceus' throat, as the Lightsworn leaned forward to brush his bumpy snout against the damaged skin. I flinched back slightly, before mentally smacking myself across the face.

My Ka and I were one in the same. So that meant that it was hurting him, too. Embarrassment and guilt flushed my chest, and I sighed. "I'm so sorry, Arce'," I murmured to him, and he just gave a gentle, very dragon-like smile in return.

_It's alright, Little One,_ he soothed. I opened my mouth to speak again, when something that sounded akin to that of grinding metal and the hum of electricity met my ears. I blinked, before hearing the door slide its way back open. I smiled and turned towards the sudden opening in relief, "Oh, thank the Gods you-"

I was met with nearly two-dozen figures, dressed in heavy armor and masks that looked reminiscent to the people playing as riot police on crime-television shows that Malik, Ryou and I used to watch with Jii-chan when we were younger. My initial reaction was to throw my injured hands up into the air and shout "_don't shoot_!", but I didn't dare to move a muscle with the twenty-something _guns_ pointed in my general direction. I heard Arceus give an instinctive growl at my side, the desire to defend and protect flooding our mental bond. I saw his lips pull back in a snarl as he bared his teeth at men and women who could not see him as more than a semi-large cloud of silver-blue, sparkling mist at my side.

I was silent as another figure – this one completely unarmed – approached. The gun-toting-whoevers shifted to the side, parting like a sea of black-armor-clad bodies to the presence of their metaforical Moses. He was male (obviously), with a face and overall physique that appeared to be surprisingly young. Something that the long, silver hair that hung down past his shoulders didn't do much to compliment. The straight tresses came to pass over his left eye, while the right – a gleaming, amber-like color – had fixated itself onto me intensely. His straight posture, and red, business-suit-like apparel, despite giving him a rather dandified appearance, did nothing but add to the overall intimidation of his presence. It didn't take long for me to guess that this man was in charge of the rest of this little... entourage.

"Yuugi Mutou, I presume," the man spoke in an elegant, calculative voice. I blinked.

"H... Have we met...?" I dared to question, though I had absolutely no doubt that I had _never_ seen this man before in my entire life. I glanced to his tense-bodied posse, the muzzles of various firearms still trained on my figure. "What's the meaning of this?"

He gave a dismissive wave of the hand, smiling to himself, as if recalling a particularly humorous joke someone had told him that day. "Just a precaution, Yuugi-boy. Nothing of concern..." He paused, before adding, almost thoughtfully, "Well, that is, unless you decide to not cooperate. Then I'm afraid we'll have a bit of a dilemma on our hands, now won't we?" His smile turned into a smirk. "Not that you'd try to _resist_, a smart lad such as you. After all, you've been able to escape my observation for just over sixteen years now – quite a feat, I must admit."

Confusion filled me, and I felt my brow quirk unintentionally in a manifestation of my befuddlement. "P-Pardon?" I managed. Despite the _numerous_ red flags this stranger had generously triggered in my head, I couldn't help but to let the oddness of it all get to me. "Wh-Who are you? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, I do beg your pardon – how rude of me!" He gave a small, graceful bow. Something about the way he moved his body reminded me of a snake readying to strike. "Pegasus J. Crawford, owner of _Industrial Illusions_. And what I am speaking of, for the time-being, is none of your concern, Yuugi-boy." He straightened again, and I retreated a few steps, back into my metal-encased pod, shifting closer to my Ka, who only released another growl at the mental sensations of my fear and unease. I saw the man... this... Pegasus, look over to my Ka sharply. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he'd heard him! I glanced down to Arceus, placing a hand over his neck in attempts to ease his aggression. Snarling and growling would do nothing to help the situation, I was sure.

Pegasus gave a small grin to me. "Wise decision, Yuugi-boy," he said. The nickname was _really_ starting to get annoying. I didn't know this man! So why was he speaking to me, as if he'd been present the day of my birth? "Oh, I _was_, in a way," came the nonchalant comment without skipping a beat.

I looked up sharply, eyes wide. _Did... Did he just...?_

He just chuckled again. "Anyways..." he said impassively, "I do hope you'll come with us. Preferably without a struggle – wouldn't want things to get _messy_, now would we?" His visible eye shifted to the side, and I found myself following its path, only for my heart to leap up into my throat. They had my brothers, hands bound behind their backs, and with strange... collar-like things around their necks.

"Ryou! Malik!" I went to dash over to them, the instinct to protect my younger brothers overpowering all other thoughts. Including that of the strange man's subtle threats, and the fact that I was held at muzzle-point by a group of two dozen others. The shrieks of my adoptive siblings were drowned out by the cracking and popping of gunfire. Pain struck through my left thigh and side, just for a moment, before all feeling was gone from them. My ankle rolled, yet I felt no pain, and my eyelids dropped halfway within an instant as disorienting clouds of numbness swathed my head. I felt myself hit the ground, but the impact was muted. I heard voices, only it was as if my ears had been stuffed with cotton. My eyes rolled up lazily at the man as everything began to swirl and distort, as he made a motion for something.

He stooped down next to me, and I felt his hands reach around my neck. Something snapped into place, and I cried out as I felt something – _several_ somethings, actually – pierce into the skin all around the circumference of my throat. I cringed as Arceus gave an agonized, ear-splitting roar, and then fell silent. I felt as if something cold and insulating had been wrapped around some part of me, and I couldn't help but to choke out a pathetic whimper as my body refused to follow through with what I was commanding it to do. Instead of folding up and helping me to stand, my legs only twitched and scrabbled uselessly against the cold flooring, seemingly unable to support the rest of my body and bring me to Ryou's and Malik's sides. My arms couldn't even lift up my chest, or move up to grasp at this strange thing now clamped over my throat like an internally-spiked dog's collar.

"You've just been shot by and injected with the contents of two darts filled with nonlethal doses of sedative," Pegasus murmured to me calmly, on one knee at my side, "That collar around your neck has now inserted several small, conductive metal spikes into your skin, and are now sending an electromagnetic energy pulse along the circuitry of your nerves and brain stem, severing any and all connections between you and your Ka. Therefore, you cannot Merge, cannot use one another's energy, and you cannot speak to one another, unless it is removed."

I only grunted, the numbness now spreading all along my body. It made it difficult to breathe. The world began to swirl, and I was starting to see double.

I had never felt more vulnerable, more powerless, than I had at that exact moment. Not even Arceus could help me now.

"Oh, and another lovely feature to this collar?" Pegasus smirked. I could only shiver and meet his single amber eye with my own two amethyst, feeling both scared and defenseless. "It allows me, or any other authoritative figure, to remotely deliver an electrical shock to your nervous system, should you try to misbehave."

My sluggish mind had kicked into fight-or-flight mode. I tried to feel my left arm, the right pinned beneath the weight of my own body. I managed to make it twitch. And, against any sort of better judgment, I swung out at Pegasus – that devious, silver-haired _bastard_. I tried to aim for his visible eye, intent on clawing it straight from his smug face, when something took hold of me.

Molten agony, broiling within every last cell and fiber of my existence. Whiteness exploded behind my eyes, as razor-clawed fingers gripped and tugged at my body as it fell into unwilling convulsions. My throat began to burn, while my ears rang deafeningly loud, and it took a moment for me to realize that I was screaming. And it hurt – oh _Gods_, it hurt – and it _wasn't stopping_. I immediately wished for it to end. It made me wish that my racing heart would just _stop and die_. I just wanted it to go away.

After what felt like eternity, my wish was granted, as the horrible current that had been tensing and tearing away at my muscles stopped, and I fell limp as a marionette cut from its strings. Even the terrified shouts and screams of my own name falling from my brothers' lips sounded foreign to me, as blackness came to embrace my mind, and all went black.

* * *

_Wake up..._

I tried to huddle into the blackness around me. _Don't want to..._ I thought tiredly. My body was aching, as if I'd just run a marathon, and then decided to fucking flap my arms and fly laps around the perimeter of Domino City right after. A felt something give me a light shove, trying to jar me from my rest. _Go away, Arceus!_ I mentally snapped at that cantankerous, crystal-scaled dragon, unintentionally making a stubborn, disoriented noise. _Let me sleep in a little more..._

_**Wake up!**_

My senses were snapped into awareness as I felt a hand strike me across the face.

My eyes flew open, and I instantly went to fend off whatever force had decided to attack me. Only, strangely enough, after shoving away from whoever had taken hold of me, my equilibrium was thrown wildly off. The only thing I could do was submit to pain and gravity as my nerves shrieked in protest, and I fell clumsily to my side. My muscles were already shuddering in defiance, refusing to obey my will as they began to twitch and constrict uselessly. An achingly familiar, although smaller-scale pain, traveled in a current across my spine, before cutting off seconds later.

The last bits of an electric shock were quick to leak from my muscles, leaving me twitchy and limp. I felt a hand – light, fleeting, and trembling – press itself against my shoulder blade. It took a lot of willpower, but I managed to fight off another shock-induced nap, and squinted one eye open. I felt something warm and damp drop onto my face, and I blinked as fuzzy views of pale skin and white hair formed in front of me. Wide orbs of color swam with moisture, making them a dark, muddy-brown shade. I blinked a few times, before my (_literally_) shell-shocked head caught up with the rest of me.

"Ry... Ry-Ryou...?" My voice sounded a little slurred, even to my own ears. I felt as if I'd swallowed some kind of anesthetic, and my mouth felt dry and more than a little bit numb. I grunted in pain as someone impatiently shoved me in the side with a thin, cylindrical object.

"Oh, get up, already!" a masculine voice snapped, and I looked past the body of my brother, to see an armor-clad figure holding a gun, already aiming at us with a finger on the trigger. Memories came rushing back to me, and I went to prop myself up on my arms, but they gave way beneath me. I grunted, trying again, moving to put myself between the guard and my brother, only to fall lifelessly into his lap when my body continued to be unresponsive. I glanced around, spotting Malik already outside of... what I assumed to be some sort of vehicle, with one unidentifiable person holding the muzzle of a tranquilizing gun at the small of his back, and another on standby next to them.

"C-C-Can't..." I panted as the man barked another order for me to move, "Ca-Can't... get... w-won't... wo-work..." It appeared as if the two previous shots I had taken an unknown amount of time earlier were still working their way through my system.

Not that the fact I'd practically been _electrocuted_ twice was helping anything.

"You-" he motioned towards Ryou, "-help him."

I tried to help best I could as he grabbed me and slung my arm over his shoulder, but there wasn't much I _could_ do, considering every last cell seemed to be working against me and refusing to respond. I yelped in surprise as cloth was suddenly drawn over my eyes – the sound echoed from Ryou, and then from Malik, so I knew that we were being intentionally blindfolded. And all I could wonder, as the miniature battalion wordlessly began steering us around a countless amount of corners, was _where were we_? Where were they taking us? Were we going to be hurt? _Killed_? What about Jii-chan? I had absolutely no doubt in my clouded mind that he had awoken and noticed the three of us were missing from our beds. What if he was out in the city, this very instant, looking for us? He must be frantic!

I had to bite back a groan.

_Oh, Gods..._ I swallowed anxiously, my arm squeezing more firmly across Ryou's shoulders in a silent means for support – as much for him, as it was for myself. _All of this... Whatever is going to happen to us, will be my fault. It __**is**__ all my fault... I'm the one who let us all go to that Gods-forsaken Matching Center! I didn't even __**try**__ to talk them out of it!_ Anguish hit me like a sack of bricks.

If they were going to be hurt, it would be all my doing. I had led my brothers into the mess, all because I couldn't just _drop it_ and accept Jii-chan's refusal to let us go down to the Center.

And now I could see just _how_ valid his reasons had been.

I may not know what would happen to us... But Jii-chan _did_. That was why he had kept us hidden away for so long... And now I had completely unraveled all the years he spent on attempts to keep us safe and secure. Because I was too stubborn to accept his words, and too selfish to do it on my own. I didn't _have_ to drag Malik and Ryou into this. I could have talked them into staying home – and if all else failed, I could have gone by myself, and spared them any future woes. Whatever they were going to be.

We stopped, and from somewhere ahead of me, I heard a sickeningly familiar voice. _Pegasus_, my brain identified.

"Put those two inside, and take the whitenette down to the labs for a round of experiments."

_**Experiments**__?!_

"_Ryou_!" I heard Malik shout, and someone grunted as he lashed out blindly. Ryou yelped loudly in panic as he was ripped away from me.

"No, let him go!" I cried against my will, an arm reaching out and groping the air for any trace of my brother's figure, as strange hands gripped me by the shoulders, "Ryou! _Ry_\- _**agh**_!"

Another, fleeting current of electricity, although much less intense, ran down my spine. Malik echoed my cries as he received the same treatment. I thrashed about in retaliation, demanding to be released. I heard something like a door being opened, before the hands that grappled with my struggling form where suddenly gone, and I stumbled into an unknown room, semi-unresponsive legs buckling beneath me. I felt myself tumble to the ground in a disoriented heap, the air whooshing from my lungs, and seemingly unwilling to return to them. I groaned quietly at the treatment. I heard shuffling from somewhere behind me – shuffling that was far too heavy and cautious to belong to an equally-winded Malik, still somewhere beside me.

My arm shot up, and I ripped the blindfold from my face, shaking my head as if to dislodge the haziness and send it away. I glanced to my right, to see Malik curled into a ball, gripping his stomach with a grimace, his teeth grit. I stumbled over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder as dazed lavender eyes peeked open, glancing up at me. He offered a shaky grin, and I only felt my anger and fear grow more at the pain written on his face. I went to stand, dead-set on dashing out the still-open doorway for Ryou, when a deep voice broke in on my mental strategy.

"If you're going to make a run for it, I hope you like the idea of taking a dirt nap," it warned in an almost bored tone, "Because some of those guns out there have more than a tranq' loaded in the chamber." I turned sharply, about ready to rip this baritone-voiced stranger a verbal new one, when something caught my attention. Half of this room we were in was covered in darkness, the lights turned out, and the shadows concealing an unknown amount of shapes from within it. Not only that, but I caught sight of a glowing set of eyes from those shadows.

They were a bright, ruby red. Clashing perfectly with my own amethyst as our gazes met. I felt my throat constrict, and my mouth go dry.

_His eyes are so pretty..._ I felt as if something had clicked into place, if only for a moment. Something came rushing to me, and for a moment, I could see the results of my Matching process, displayed for me to see on a digital screen. I could see the sharp features, spiky hair, and intense stare that went along with those garnet gems, despite the fact that the rest of this man's body had been hidden by darkness. A name flashed to mind.

_Yami Sennen_.

My Kindred.

I was broken from my mental reverie, however, when light footsteps entered the room, and I heard the door close behind them. I looked up sharply as Pegasus grinned at Malik and I, looking _very_ pleased with himself. "Well then!" he cheered, hands clasping together with such _self-satisfied_ expression, I wanted to puke. Preferably on those posh, well-polished shoes of his. "Welcome to your new home, boys! Your companion should be joining you momentarily after some basic testing. You two will get your turns, don't worry, but until then, make yourselves at home!"

"Home?" I growled softly, fists clenching tightly, "Our _home_ is back in Domino, with our grandfather! You can't just up and take us because you feel like it, that's kidnapping! And where the _hell_ did you take my brother?!"

He waved his hand in the uninterested way of his, as if the well-being of Ryou were nothing of his concern. "Not to worry, Yuugi-boy, you'll see him again. And, well, yes, I suppose that technically, this _would_ be considered kidnapping..."

He smirked at me in a way that made my skin crawl, and goosebumps rise on my arms.

"But not if the children involved were _orphans_, now would it?"

I heard Malik _literally_ stop breathing, the air catching loudly in his throat, while icy claws gripped at my chest. I saw the tears begin to form along my brother's lashes. And where he felt grieved, _I_ felt nothing but blind rage.

_No-one_ fucked with my loved ones.

"How dare you threaten my family?" I snarled, unconsciously advancing towards him a few steps, "You stay the _fuck_ away from my grandfather, you sick son of a b-!" My voice cut off from actual words, and broke into a short scream. For a fourth time, everything exploded into blank whiteness as boiling agony picked its way across my nervous system with ease. My muscles seized and my joints locked, dropping me to the ground like deadweight as Malik called out my name. But, instead of fading, the intensity increased, as if he were upping the power somehow. I felt my limbs start to jerk and while my throat constricted, taking away the ability to even _breathe_. All I could hear leaving me were a few scarce, choking noises, as I stared out at nothing.

I could have sworn I felt my heart _actually_ skip a few beats.

"Stop it, you're killing him!" I heard Malik sob, sensing his aura as he kneeled by my side, but afraid to touch me for fear of being shocked himself. It was like I was suffocating. My heart was pounding so fast and loud that I feared it was about to burst.

"Pegasus, stop!" This voice was new. It belong to the pretty-eyed stranger that spoke a now-unknown time ago.

The current cut out, and their prickling fingers unwrapped themselves from my neck as my lungs were freed. I gasped deeply, swallowing large breaths of air in desperation, though large portions of those breaths escaped me in shallow, airy coughs. I could feel shock-induced tears streaming down my face as I vainly tried to escape the residual tortures of electricity that ran throughout my body, writhing from the utter _excruciation_ it left behind. My ears rang so loudly I could scarcely hear anything other than that, and the frantic pounding of my own heart as it slowly fell back into its usual, sluggish rhythm. I felt arms wrap around me, and the shivering form of Malik held me close, shoulders heaving now and again with held-back sobs. I panted heavily, managing a glare to combat the one that had formed over that silver-haired _fucker's_ face at some point during my near-electrocution.

"Now that you're going to _behave_, " he spat, as if he were speaking to a dog, "why don't you take the time to get acquainted with your Kindred? After all, you'll be spending the rest of your lives here. Or at least until your usefulness has exhausted itself." There was that smirk again. "Now, rest up, Yuugi-boy~" he sang, turning to exit the room, "You'll need all the energy you can manage when it's time for your own tests. But until then, I'll be seeing you in a little while."

The door slammed shut, and I growled at him on instinct, wishing I had Arceus' fangs to bare.

"J... J-Just wait..." I breathed quietly, only half to myself – the rest was intended for my Ka – "We'll show him... w-what happens... when you screw with a Mutou." Malik's arms tightened around me, and he scoffed under his breath.

"I swear to God if you get yourself shocked again, you _fucking_ idiot," he whispered sharply, voice thick with emotion, "_I_ will be the thing that kills you." I only gave a breathless laugh, and attempted to break the emotional stress and tension.

"Is that Malik or Ra I hear talking through your Akh's ass?"

There was a chuckle, but it wasn't from Malik or I. And it wasn't amused – well, maybe it was, but not in the cheerful sense. More in the bitter, if-only-you-knew kind of way. "I hope you're not trying to contact your Ka," said that red-eyed voice, "Those collars around your necks keep you from being able to reach them, and vise-versa. I also hope you got the opportunity to say 'goodbye' to any loved ones, too, because you won't be seeing them again. Not in _this_ life, at the very least." He finished with a nonchalant, "So, yeah, welcome to Hell." It sounded like he was some kind of real-estate agent that had just finished giving a half-assed presentation to someone looking to buy their dream home. I looked up sharply at that, casting my gaze over to the source of the chill-inducing voice. Malik helped prop me into an upright position, and I bit back a groan of discomfort.

"Wh-What... What do you... mean, by that?" I huffed, arm curling around my midsection, as if I were trying to hold myself together. At least, that's what it _felt_ like. There was another laugh, cold and humorless.

"I _mean_, is now that Pegasus knows where your little family is, they're as good as fucking _dead_."

"Yami! Don't be such an ass!" a second voice scolded sharply.

There was an annoyed snort. "What? I'm just being honest."

My hands came up to hold my pounding head, feeling as if it were about to split in half in the after-effects of my fourth electrical assault that day. How I wasn't still writhing on the ground was a mystery even to me. As the two voices continued to bicker, I felt a deep, burning guilt overwhelm me. Yami... he was _right_. Something I mumbled to myself quietly. "Oh, Gods," I moaned in dread, and Malik leaned back a little bit, giving me a strange look. The two voices paused. "Jii-chan – all this time, I thought he was just being stubborn, but no, he was _protecting_ us! Dammit, why didn't I just _listen_ to him? We could have avoided this whole mess..."

There was a cruelly amused scoff from my Kindred, "Bet you're regretting not listening then, eh? Thanks to your idiotic, stubborn decision, your gramps is gonna get offed by that psychopath." Then there was clapping, slicing into my ears with its mocking cheer, "But, hey, congrats! You found your Kindred. Hope it was all worth it, _Yuugi-boy_."

That comment sent molten anger and icy pain through my chest.

I growled at him, "Glad I could amuse you, you _ass_!" I snapped at him, stumbling over onto my knees, despite Malik's cautious warnings for me to stay seated. "God, for apparently being my Kindred, you're not exactly acting anything like you're _supposed_ to be! Like, oh, let's see here, at least having a _little_ bit of empathy for another human being!"

Those red eyes rolled, obviously not caring about what was being said. "Why bother hiding the truth? Even if you sugarcoat a pile of crap, it doesn't make it any less shitty. So if you don't want to listen to my opinion, I personally couldn't care less."

"I didn't _ask_ for your fucking opinion, you pompous-!" I stood up, words absolutely _failing_ me at the audacity of this guy. The Gods must have hated me, having me unintentionally surrender my freedom to find my Kindred, and then him being one of the most _insensitive_ people in the freaking world! And what's worse? I was dragging my brothers along for the ride! I felt my muscles tense, watching as those darkening eyes rose to follow suit. "God, with _seven billion people_ in this world, I apparently was destined to be with the biggest jerk out of all of them!"

The figure laughed, as if in disbelief. I could picture the sharp, defined features of who was – evidently – the other half to my soul. The one that I had seen back in the Matching Center. "Yeah, and I guess that mine is nothing more than a selfish, whiny little brat!"

"_Yami_!" two voices snapped at once, and I was surprised to see a third pair of eyes peering out from the darkness. I could just barely catch a glimpse of the trio's silhouettes. A lavender-eyed figure – _they look so much like Malik's_, I couldn't keep from observing – stormed up to where I could assume Yami was standing. I saw dark arms shove him, and Yami stumbled. "Quit being so fucking insensitive!"

"Why should I?! No-one's ever shown _us_ any sympathy the entire time we've been here!" His counter made something in my chest give a sharp tug. _How long have __**they**__ been here?_ I couldn't help but wonder. But that thought was quickly countered but a much more painful realization. My Kindred didn't care. And, as far as I could tell, he didn't give a damn as to whether he had the chance to meet me or not. Selfish as it may sound, that made me angry.

He didn't care if his soul was cut in half? It _hurt_ – didn't it hurt for him, too? And if it did... was he really so... so _impassive_, so uncaring, if he knew that pain was – more likely than not – being inflicted upon another person? Who, in some way, was another piece of himself?

"Their situation is different," the purple-eyed person tried to reason, sounding more than a little upset with his... companion? They sounded naturally familiar with one another. I decided to go along with the idea that these three were siblings.

"Yeah, it _is_, isn't it?" came the overwhelmingly sarcastic riposte, "We were _forced_ into this, while they just _skipped_ their merry fucking way into it! I'm not going to sit around and listen to his bawl-pussing, so try to keep from babying them too much."

I felt my heart stall painfully at the blunt, apathetic remark, flooding that hollow spot I had thought would be filled on this day. It really, truly, _physically_ _hurt_. My hand came up and gripped at the fabric of my shirt, above where my heart pounded in my chest, an unwilling noise leaving my lips. Malik was there at once, hands hovering over my shoulders, as if he expected me to suddenly collapse. I could see the lavender eyes on the darker half of the room widen, and the figure came forward a few steps, looking as if he wanted to run over to us and make sure everything was okay. I could make out deeply tanned skin, and a wild mane of platinum-blonde hair. I internally gaped at his likeliness to my adoptive brother.

"Yuugi, you alright?" I heard said teen murmur to me, concern managing to smother some of the outrage that had been in his visage before at my Kin-... at Yami's comments... I just panted out a soft breath, feeling the shame and despair rising to drown me.

I just shook my head, and I could feel the bitter, incredulous smile that rose on my face. "I can't believe you..." I murmured quietly, "How could you be so... so _heartless_, towards the other freaking half of your soul...? Of your brothers' souls?" Red glared back at me. "Yeah, I might be just the _slightest_ bit selfish for wanting Ryou and Malik and I to have even a _chance_ to meet you all. So _what_? I must be the _worst_ fucking person on the planet – I dragged my brothers into this mess. I didn't try to keep them from sneaking out – hell, I even went along with this crap!"

I shrugged Malik's hesitant hands away, advancing a few paces, ignoring the residual twitchy-ness that resided in my legs. "Maybe I was just so _excited_ to finally discover a way to feel happy, _genuinely_ _happy_, that I didn't bother to think of the consequences. Who the hell would expect to find out that, apparently, there's something _so wrong_ with them that they deserved to be locked up – let alone with such an insensitive, angst-y, self-pitying little _shit_ like you for a Kindred!" I saw Yami's eyes go wide in a mixture of surprise and irritation. "And I'm just as bad as you," I admitted, cutting off any attempts he could make at reprimanding me, "I don't even _know_ you, yet I'm yelling at you like we've been each other's pain in the ass since birth. I just... God, I am just so _angry_ and this is all so _unfair_ I wish I'd never even bothered to try finding you! I literally just got here, and already I've found out that it's my fault my _only family left_ is either going to be locked up and tortured the rest of their lives, or _dead_ in a few minutes, if they haven't been killed, already! I can't feel Arceus, who's been the only constant comfort for me since I was born, and now..." My shoulders shook slightly with exertion, and I felt as if something were about to snap inside of me. "Yes, I'm a selfish, ignorant, weak and pathetic _thing_ who's been locked up inside a house since they were a little kid, unable to make friends or feel like they could connect with anyone, not even their own family, because of how fucking _lonely_ they felt!"

I mentally cursed as I felt moisture dare to trace its way down my face. I swiped the tear away sharply. "A-All I wanted... was to feel _complete_... I just wanted to know what it was like... to be normal, and happy, and like every other person in the world..." I trailed off, not even bothering to meet Yami's gaze this time. I just scoffed my frustrations and shook my head at the insanity of it all. I turned and walked away from them. Well, as much as my new prison's walls would allow me to. "Forget it. I don't even know why I bothered to find you. I'm wasting my breath talking to you. Just... screw everything."

I reached my destination – the corner of the room that was the farthest away from _him_. I hadn't even been here a full fucking hour, and I was already so _done_ that I just wanted to slam my head into the wall until I passed the hell out. _How could I have been such an idiot?_ I thought, making myself comfortable, and propping my back against the wall. I saw the shadowy figure of Yami storm farther into the darker half of the room, shoving past the one with lavender eyes, as well as the third, although silent, onlooker. _I should have listened to Jii-chan... then none of us would be in this mess. And now, Ryou and Malik are stuck here with me... a-and Jii-chan..._ I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I instantly tasted blood. _H-He could be..._

I drew my legs up to my chest, and folded my arms over my knees, promptly hiding my face within the sleeves of my jacket. It was a little while later, before I heard feet approaching. I glanced up, thinking it to be Malik (and mentally slapping myself at the inkling of a wish that it would be Yami – if only so I could see him in more than a photograph on a screen), but was surprised when I was met with the figure of an entirely different, blonde-haired Egyptian.

He was tall, with a well-muscled frame that showed beneath his clothing. His skin tone was deeply bronzed with his natural ethnicity. His hair was wilder, too – spiking out like a lion's mane. I found myself looking up more, to observe his slightly-broader features, looking strong and almost _overpoweringly_ masculine. He looked like a Malik doppelganger that had decided to hit the gym, then completely tear said building from its foundation, and chuck it to the other side of Domino City.

In short: tall, dark, and fucking _terrifying_.

Yet he offered a smile that was the exact opposite of that. It was... hesitant, but showed some kind of sympathy. Even a tinge of... sorrow? "Hey," he murmured, and I just blinked at him. "Yuugi, wasn't it? Look, I'm sorry for the way my brother acted. He's... an idiot, who let his emotions get the better of him. Doesn't really think straight, y'know? Hell, I'd bet he's going to start brooding here in a few minutes for being such a dick to you." That last part was added with a nervous chuckle.

Again, I only blinked.

"I'm Marik, by the way," he then added. "So... again, I'm sorry about that."

I looked away from him, brows knitting together in my irritation. "Not like _you_ did anything... Marik," I replied quietly, mentally rolling the name over my tongue. God, even their _names_ were alike. "Look, no offense, but I don't feel up to conversation right now. And if he decides that he feels bad enough that an apology is needed," I added, refusing to look in the direction of anyone in the room, "he can come over here and do it himself. Until then, I've got nothing left to say to him."

I felt Marik remain crouched down beside me for a few moments, before he made a somewhat-accepting sound, and stood up straight. I heard his footsteps quiet as he walked away, and only once I was sure he had retreated at least a few feet from me, did I dare to glance up. Now, he was approaching Malik, who was sitting in the same spot as before, looking rather... lost. Helpless, even. I felt a small stab of guilt at the way I just stormed away and left him to cope by himself.

Either way, I saw Marik offer the smallest of gestures in greeting to him. My brother only blinked, as if coming out of a stupor, before meeting him halfway. "Y.. Y-You're Marik...?" I heard him whisper. Said person only offered a nod. I saw him give a hesitant smile. "I'm... Malik. I-I... I saw your picture... wh-when I went to the Matching Center..."

Tears gathered in his eyes, and Malik was quick to grab Marik in an embrace. He was just a little bit shorter than the other – an inch or so, at most. I saw Marik gradually return the hug, as if he were unused to human contact like that. "Y... Y-You're my Kindred..." I heard Malik mumble into the fabric of the other's shirt, before their voices became too hushed for me to catch. I couldn't help the briefest spark of envy to strike my chest, and I looked away once more. My fingers tightened their grip over my knees.

I wished for Arceus. I could almost feel his scales against me, his paw clamped over my hip, holding me close as he nuzzled comforting paths along my head and neck with his muzzle, whispering soothing nothings into our Akh. The mental-and-physical bond between us that now felt painfully cold and empty. And, all of a sudden, as the full gravity of the situation fell upon me, I felt the overwhelming urge to grovel and plead for forgiveness.

To my brothers, for bringing them into this mess. Ryou, especially – I didn't know where he was, or what they were doing to him. I just hoped that he wasn't in pain. And I wanted to apologize to Arceus, who I could no longer sense. I didn't even know if he was _there_ anymore.

Could one's Ka cease to exist without the person knowing? Or would the Ba die along with them? Either option was undesirable, and I couldn't help but to feel a little scared at both possible scenario.

I felt as if anyone I had ever been close to were suddenly hovering over my shoulders, upset and disappointed at my foolishness. Ryou's father, my mother, who had both died trying to bring the three of us to safety. To our grandfather, who had spent nearly two decades of his life trying to protect us from the fate I had practically paraded the three of us into. I just wanted to shrink into my little corner and fade from existence.

I hid my face in my arms, completely silent as I grappled with these rising demons inside of me. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. Instead, I sat there, completely silent, praying beyond all hope that they'd be able to hear me... Arceus, my mother, Jii-chan... it didn't matter _who_ to me. I just... wanted them to hear. At least then, I wouldn't feel so... _alone_.

I bit my cheek harder, and held back the urge to cry.

_I'm sorry for this, everyone. If you can hear me... I am so, so sorry..._

* * *

_Fallen: Eeh... personally not all that proud with the ending, but I couldn't find another way to tie things up. XD Sorry if it went a tad OOC/over-dramatic. *nervous laugh*_

**Nickey: And next chapter is mine :3 I liked it, so stahp eet, Fallen. Until next time everyone! *waves* Goodbye!**


	7. Stubborn

**Nickey: So... Anyway, I worked my butt off (I think) on this chapter. And I dunno if we mentioned it in the last chapter or not, but our future chapters are going to be overlapping a bit. For you guys that means events will be repeated, for us, that means that events will be portrayed (is that the word I'm looking for?) in both Yami and Yuugi's POV... Just letting you all know that with a fair warning... Enjoy~!**

_Fallen: Yup, "portreyed" is the word you're looking for. *laughs* But, yeah, anyways. That's what you all should be expecting :) ALSO: I don't mean to nag, but to those who send reviews/PMs (because I've received **both**) that just say something along the lines of us "needing to hurry up and update"... Look, I **really** appreciate you're all interested in the story – really, I am! – but please remember that writing is only a passtime for us, and that we have lives outside of FanFiction. That, and we want to make sure you all get the best quality works we can offer – and that also takes up a little bit of time! We've got a new plan-of-action, and **should** be updating **Kindred** every other Monday. Now, given my tendencies to be a scatterbrain, both of us having our own solo-stories to work on, and just life in general, I'm not making any promises yet. But I **do** hope that I'll be able to keep up with this little goal we have in mind._

_Okay, I'm sorry. Done rambling. We hope you enjoy the chapter! :D_

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**~ Chapter VII ~  
**_

_Stubborn_

* * *

"Yami," a quiet voice whispered, sounding somewhat demanding of me.

I peeked my left eye open, looking over my shoulder to meet a set of darkened lavender eyes. "What?" I mumbled, refusing to move from my resting spot.

"Go talk to him," Marik demanded, his voice still hushed.

"Good night, Marik," I groaned, turning back towards the wall at my right as I attempted to fall back asleep.

"Oh no you don't!" he warned, grabbing a clump of my hair. He yanked the handful back towards him, so that now I was turned to face him. Making sure I showed him my current mindset, I put a very bored, and angry look onto my face. "You are going to talk to him, and you are going to like it."

"You can't make me do something I don't want to do. Now let go of me."

I swatted away my brother's arms and went back to my sleeping position. It'd been two weeks since our Kindreds had shown up, and I'd given mine a piece of my mind. Unfortunately he'd given me a piece back – and more or less slammed his foot down my throat. Well, metaphorically speaking. Still... So, anyways, here we were, as far apart as we could manage to be in this room. Not having spoken a word to each other since – or in _his_ case, to anyone at all. Period.

I admit I'll have to give him this much, though: my Kindred is a looker. But out of all his features, those eyes were the main attraction. Those beautiful amethyst orbs that sparkled with pure curiousity, and glimmered with attitude when pissed off. His milky white skin looked smooth to the touch, and clean as polished crystal, as if no dirt had ever dared to touch it. His frame – which was slightly smaller than my own – was curvy, as his new white jumpsuit did well to show off. And his hair, it was the same way mine used to be. I was pretty sure Pegasus would have his cut and combed back, as well, before too much longer.

Not only was his physical appearance a plus, but apparently his attitude was also pretty close to mine. I mean, going after Pegasus the way he did? Pegasus had to have been terrified, to have shocked him like that. From the looks of it, he almost shit his pants! But the way he'd treated him, the way he'd shocked my Kindred and made him look weak, he was going to _pay_. The way he'd made him cry, scream, panic, every bit of emotion Pegasus had drawn from him, he was going to pay dearly for.

In the two weeks' time, we 'yamis' had basically been forgotten about. Our lovely little counterparts were now the scientists' focal point. Which only served to piss us off even more. My Kindred and I may not be talking, and most of that _may_ be my fault, but _damn it_, when you fuck with my Kindred, it's on!

...

Come to think of it, I don't even think he's seen my _full body_ yet... Pretty sure all he can see from that side is my eyes and maybe a silhouette... or an outline, or something.

It's not like I didn't want to go talk to Yu- the brat. But I refused to apologize. It's not like I was wrong... I was pretty sure I hit the nail on the head each time that I said something. Wasn't _my_ fault _they_ were here.

My eyes opened as I realized something, and I couldn't help but chuckle at myself. "Huh, seems we're meant for each other in more ways than I realized... You got your brothers into this mess, just like I got mine into this Hell hole." My chuckle died out as I shook my head, nothing really making sense anymore. "Crazy... isn't it?"

"You sound like a madman," Marik grumbled, hitting me lightly in the back of the head.

"Maybe so... But it's all true... Just a bunch of curious, stupid kids. And now we're locked up, like mental patients, except without the straight jackets... I'm sure those will come soon enough, though," I added after a pause for thought.

I didn't have to look to my left to see my brother's widened eyes. I knew he was shocked by the tone of my voice, by the look on my face, both of them reading _'who really gives a shit anymore?'_

"Yami... Stop it," Bakura growled from a little ways in front of me.

"Stop what? Stop replaying everything in my head? Stop remembering _everything _that's happened to us? Are you _insane_? Do _you_ need a straightjacket? I won't stop remembering. I'll _never_ forget what that son of a bitch did. And I will take him out, even if I go down with him."

The fist that caught my left cheek was a surprise to everyone, except my eldest brother, who was the one to throw it. My head hit the wall to my right, but I just shook it off, turning to look at Marik with my mouth open. I didn't get to say anything though, because two fists wrinkled into my shirt, slamming me against the wall.

"You're our baby brother, and you're going to shut up! Stop talking like that! That's not the Yami we know."

"The Yami you knew died ten years ago!" I growled darkly, my hands clamping around his wrists, hard enough strength to 'persuade' him into letting me go. "I'm no longer the 'baby brother' you knew," I continued, giving a small twist, forcing Marik to submit to me. "And I won't be walked on anymore. Not by_ you_. Not by _Pegasus_. Not by _anyone_. If not for this God forsaken collar, I'd already be out of here. So don't tell me what to do, or how to talk."

The sliding of the door caused me to look up. The clicking of his boots, causing the snarl to automatically twist my face. Before entering our side of the room, he snapped his fingers, and someone outside flipped the power so the lights were on. The three of us covered our eyes for a minute as the light pierced our side of the room.

Pegasus approached us slowly, yet without caution. It was like he was testing my anger. The way he came up to us reminded me of a showdown from an old show Mom used to watch on the TV. The kind where two people would stand on opposite sides of town and count to three before shooting at each other.

That's what was going on here. Pegasus had heard our conversation, and now he was daring me to make a move in his direction. The look on his face told me he was having a bad day, and any kind of movement towards him would be a big mistake; one I would pay dearly for. "You two, move," he ordered, pointing at my older brothers.

This was bad. I could feel danger. Every nerve in my body was peaked, and screaming at me. But what could I do? Why should I even care? If not for this damned collar I could take him. My brothers moved as they were ordered, but I stood my ground. I refused to show weakness. I didn't so much as yelp when I was poked and prodded and I sure as hell wasn't going to bow down as this son of a bitch approached me.

I was suddenly grasped around the throat by large, silver claws that threatened to remove my head from my shoulders. They gripped tight enough to choke, but not tight enough to kill. I coughed, unable to breathe correctly with the strange hand pressed against my neck. Only three things were registering at the moment: one, I'd made a _huge_ mistake that I was going to regret; two, I was slowly losing conciousness; and three, Pegasus had partially Merged with his Ka just to choke me.

"Let's go for a walk... Shall we?" He asked in his mockingly-sweet voice, carrying me by the throat. He turned and I saw my brothers' faces through blurred vision. They were terrified. But I couldn't do anything, and neither could they. Not only was he _strangling_ me, but the spikes to my collar were also pressing into my throat, just below his claws, sending small jolts of electricity through me. And we all knew by now that defiance would only make the punishment worse. Even the three newbies had found out _that_ particular, unspoken rule.

The barrier between me and the others shut with finality. I heard my brother running to the door, pounding on it and screaming my name over and over again once it was closed. I had just forced him to submit to me, probably even causing him _pain_, and yet there he was, scared for my safety once again. Just like a big brother should. But I could do nothing to ease his worry; I couldn't see him anymore. Hell, I was hardly able to _breathe_, let alone _talk_, with the pressure on my neck!

The grip Pegasus had on me loosened just a bit as we walked down the hallway, finally allowing me to breathe properly. My vision began to clear with the fresh, reviving air, and I could see we were approaching one of the rooms that was used for conducting experiments.

I didn't understand it at the time, but an alarm went off in my head. Once again, I had a _very_ bad feeling about this... experiment.

**Nickey: Aaaand another cliffy X3 Lol, you're welcome! Hope you all enjoyed!~ Until next time! * waves * Goodbye!**

_Fallen: Well, that was evil. But, then again, I probably would have done the same thing, haha! XD Okay, so, remember: updates should be happening every other Monday... so, unfortunately, it looks like you guys are going to have to stay tuned and wait to find out what happens next! *mwahahaha!* X3 Oh! And I forgot to add: **Kindred**'s cover-image was hand-drawn by Nickey, herself! I can't believe I forgot to add it earlier on... whoopsies XD  
_

_Have a nice day/night, guys~!_


	8. A Sense of Dread

_Fallen: Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, everyone! D: School's been nothing short of a **nightmare** this week *cries many tears*_

**Nickey: Okay! So, chapter 8! Well, besides being a little bit scatter-brained this week (speaking for the both of us) lol I think we... Well... I won't say made progress... I feel like I got nothing done, personally... XD I dunno about you Fallen, but I feel as though I got absolutely NOTHING done... just aggravates me to no end honestly... Anyway! Hope you all enjoy chapter 8! And Fallen, don't forget the disclaimer and chapter title! ^w^**

_Fallen: Yeah, sorry about that... It's taking me a lot longer to find a Muse for my chapter than I thought... so sorry you haven't been able to work on yours *rubs neck, nervous laugh* **Anyways**: I gotta be honest you guys, this chapter... doesn't exactly... advance the story that much. But, it **is** setting the stage for future chapters. So I'm sorry if it's a tad boring, but I swear that it's a necessary evil._

_Anyways, enjoy the chapter! I promise I'll update on time for the next one!_

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**~ Chapter VIII ~  
**_

_A Sense of Dread_

* * *

"_Go talk to him_."

My eyes fluttered open at the sound of a voice. Drowsiness clung to my head like wreaths of mist, and I felt a yawn build in my chest. I rubbed my eyes with a fist, releasing said yawn quietly, and tried to blink the sleep away. What time was it? I didn't know. How long had we been here? Well, judging by how many times the people who kept us here dimmed out the lights for us to sleep – presumably sometime at night – I'd say... about two weeks.

Fourteen days my brothers and I had spent in this pit of Hell. Fourteen days since finding my Kindred, and _then_ discovering that he was the world's biggest asshole. Fourteen days since I had last felt the presence of my Ka, and gone without his comfort.

Fourteen days... yet it felt like an eternity.

I looked up, glancing around lazily. I was propped up against the corner of wall I had seated myself in when we first got here – I rarely bothered to leave it, other than to walk a few laps with Ryou and Malik in our well-lit half of the room. It was better than just sitting around, and waiting for food, or the next experiment. But, I digress.

The lights on our part of the room had been dimmed dramatically, but not fully turned off. Apparently, it was healthy for people of a specific "Attribute", as I've heard it called, to have the maximum amount of exposure possible to their... element, of sorts. Which, seeing as how the other three occupants of the room were "dark" Attributes, it explained as to why half the room was kept dark twenty-four-seven. The only reason they turned down the lights was because it was freaking _impossible_ to get any amount of sleep with those things on full-power all the time. But, without it... well, I'd _personally_ had the privilege of _that_ particular scenario. It had been some kind of mental endurance test. I'd been locked up in an insulated room with absolutely _no light_ being able to filter its way inside. I was pretty sure there were either cameras, or some kind of one-way mirror, something like that, for those bastards to jot down their little notes, watching my reactions. It made me feel like I was a rat in a cage.

At first, it hadn't been so bad – in fact, I actually used the darkness to my advantage, and took a nap. I expected to be released a few hours after I woke up, or something. Only... I wasn't. I have no idea how long I was in there, but when you're stuck in a room – just a big, empty, _dark_ room – and you can't see a thing, even _after_ your eyes have adjusted to the darkness... It screws with your head. And apparently, due to my Attribute being the exact _opposite_ of the constant darkness, the severity and intensity of my responses were multiplied tenfold. I must have been in there for almost the entire day. I actually started to experience _hallucinations_. I could see horrible monsters coming after me, intent on shredding me to pieces, lingering in my peripheral vision with the goal to drive me mad. I heard voices whispering loudly in my head, voices that were _not_ Arceus. It was terrifying and nerve-wracking and horrible beyond belief – hell, at one point, I think I actually started to have a _conversation_ with one of the fucking _walls_ just to ease off some of the stress.

I personally believe that the only reason they'd let me out as early as they did was because, A: they got annoyed with the constant pacing; B: about halfway in, I was hitting the door and demanding to be let out every thirty seconds; and C: at the end of it all, I was so delirious that I curled up and started to scream.

When the lights had come back on, they blinded me. My head had been pounding and the pain almost made me gag. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to attack the people who had put me in here, as vengeance, or weep and thank them for finally letting me out. So I just sat there, frayed and shivering and flinching at every last movement or sense of physical contact.

I couldn't even _walk_ correctly I was shaking so bad. I thought I'd taken a none-too-graceful dive off the deep end. The scientists pretty much half-carried me down the halls, and when we got back to the room? They'd just dumped me on the floor like trash, leaving me in a trembling, curled-up heap, and left. Ryou and Malik had tried to snap me out of it, but all I could see were my delusions. They later told me that I'd fled to my corner, and any attempts made to come close had me spitting out threats and profanities like a rapper. That, and whenever physical contact had actually been made, I'd just start to scream again and curl into a ball. That was just under a week ago, and I _still_ had an annoying tremor that sprung up every so often.

I shook my head lightly, as if to dislodge the memories as said tremor started up in my hands, and blinked rapidly to wake myself more. Ryou and Malik were curled up on either side of me, also stirring, my movement having startled them awake. Ryou glanced up through sheets of long, white hair, brown eyes unfocused and questioning. I smiled gently at him, and whispered an apology.

"It's fine," he yawned in reply, before noticing my shaky hands. He looked up at me, concern flashing across his face. "You okay?"

Malik punched me in the arm before I could reply, and muttered for us to "shut the hell up". I rolled my eyes at his grumpiness, before the quiet hiss of voices met my ears again.

"_You are going to talk to him, and you are going to like it_," the voice of Malik's Kindred growled at someone (probably Yami). The sound of Marik's voice seemed to be an incentive for the other Egyptian to stir more willingly, as his head popped up within seconds of Marik's comment. Again, I rolled my eyes, more fondly this time, and Ryou giggled at our brother's reaction.

The two had spent a large portion of our days here talking. Sometimes, Marik would even come over to our side of the room and sit with him. Ryou and his Kindred had been doing that, too, only where our youngest brother wasn't hesitant in the slightest when it came to parading over to the 'dark side' (get it? Ha ha...) and demanding some kind of conversation with the other, Ryou's claustrophobia made him stick purely to our half of the room. His Kindred's name was Bakura, apparently, and from what I've managed to see of him (and what Ryou had told me), he had long, grayish-white hair, pale skin, and eyes caught somewhere in between red and dark brown. '_Burnt umber_' was how Ryou had described it once (with a rather cute, doting, dreamy expression, might I add).

"_You can't make me do something I don't want to do_," I heard Yami spit back, "_Now let go of me_."

I couldn't help but to feel hurt at that statement. And though talking to that jerk was probably the _last_ thing I wanted to do right now (at least until he apologized), I sulked in disappointment, the emotion flooding my chest intensely. Ryou looked more than a little irritated – Malik had filled him in on what had transpired during his... experiments. Which had involved basic blood-work and screenings, to check if there were any sort of ailments affecting us, skin samples (which actually involved _cutting away pieces of skin_), and all this other CSI crap. All three of us had been forced to go through the unpleasantness of it.

I breathed a small sigh at my brothers' sympathetic looks. Whether I was angry with him, or disliked him, or whatever was going on with my emotions as of late... Yami was still my Kindred. Whether he was a jerk or not, he was still my other half. Hell, I didn't even know what he actually looked like! All I had seen was a mugshot, back in that damnable Matching Center two weeks ago. But there was _so much _more to that face than I knew – and with the way things were going right now, far more than I would ever get the chance to know. Whether I would acknowledge it or not, I wanted to get to know him, and be close to him. I wanted to be his _friend_, at the very least. And I wanted him to want that, too. It sounds selfish, but... knowing that your other half was so close to you, yet they didn't want to come into contact or even _bother_ talking to you... it hurt...

It hurt a _lot_.

There was a small stretch of silence, and I just shrank back towards the wall again. Ryou and Malik both shifted, each drawing an arm over my shoulders comfortingly, and leaned on my sides. A pause, before I heard Yami begin to mumble again. The voice was quiet, and the distance between my family and his made it a little hard to catch, but I could still hear him talking.

"_Huh, seems we're meant for each other in more ways than I realized_..." I overheard him muttering, and I couldn't help but to cast a subtle glance in the voice's direction, its source lost somewhere in the darkness. "_You got your brothers into this mess, and I got mine into this Hell hole_."

I felt a familiar guilt seep into my bones, but also a smidgen of surprise at that quiet confession. Yami had brought his brothers here, too?

There was a chuckle. "_Crazy... isn't it_?"

I blinked, slow and sad. Yet something odd about the comment made the tiniest of smiles appear on my face – confusing my brothers, to say the least. _Yeah..._ I mentally replied to him, _it is._

"_You sound like a madman_," came Marik's whisper.

"_Maybe so_..." Yami replied, "_But it's all true_..._ Just a bunch of curious, stupid kids_._ And now we're locked up, like mental patients, except without the straight jackets_..._ I'm sure those will come soon enough, though_." I found myself giving the smallest of nods at that, and my brothers recoiled slightly in surprise at my silent agreement. I blinked, and looked up at them as they leaned in front of me, the sudden lack of warmth making me feel a little bit cold. At the questions I could see in their gazes, I could only shrug.

"_Yami_..." Bakura suddenly grumbled, making Ryou start slightly, and look in the direction of his Kindred's voice, "_Stop it_."

The sharp look my own white-haired sibling shot me held a similar message, and I frowned at him. Leaning up, I opened my mouth to speak, before the words on my mind were relayed by my very own Kindred. "_Stop what_?" I heard him snort, "_Stop replaying everything in my head_?_ Stop remembering __**everything**__ that's happened to us_?" Ryou and Malik both gave me a light glare, knowing my thoughts had just been spoken aloud – just from a different source. I shot one right back in defiance. "_Are you __**insane**_? _Do __**you**__ need a straightjacket_?_ I won't stop remembering_. _I'll never forget what that son of a bitch did_."

That man had trapped us, and our Kindred, in this place. The latter for who knew how long. And, as far as we knew, he'd _murdered_ our grandfather. He would pay for hurting all of us, and I'd make sure I was the one that collected his fees.

"_And I will take him out_," Yami finished, and I gave a curt nod to his words, despite the fact that he didn't see me. I doubt he even knew we could hear their conversation._ "even if I go down with him_."

I was caught by surprise as a tanned hand shot out, and Malik slapped me straight across the cheek. I gaped at him, my own palm coming up to cup the abused area in shock. Ryou gave him an astonished look, as if torn between scolding him, or thanking him for trying to smack some sense into me. Malik looked a tad guilty, but opened his mouth to yell at me. Only, he was cut off by the sound of conflict. It sounded like skin on skin, and someone being slammed up against a wall.

"You're our baby brother, and you're going to shut up!" I heard the Kindred to my brother shout, all attempts at quiet conversation completely forgotten on their parts, "Stop talking like that! That's not the Yami we know."

Yami growled at them. "The Yami you knew died ten years ago!" My head whipped in their direction, though all I could see were three very undefined silhouettes. "I'm no longer the 'baby brother' you knew. And I won't be walked on anymore. Not by_ you_. Not by _Pegasus_. Not by _anyone_. If not for this God forsaken collar, I'd already be out of here. So don't tell me what to do, or how to talk."

The sound of our room's door sliding open cut through the air, and I felt a chill run down my spine. All I could think, as I heard unfaltering, slow footsteps pace towards the darker side of the room, was that something very, _very_ bad was about to take place.

Fingers snapped, and we all went to shield our eyes as the dim lighting suddenly flared into overwhelming brightness.

Looks like nap-time was over.

Pegasus ordered Bakura and Marik away from a third figure, and I couldn't help but to gape at him in surprise. He wasn't tall, nor was he entirely short. Somewhere in between, standing couple inches higher than myself. His hair held three colors – black, red, and blonde – and some of the darker ebony tresses tried to spike up into the air along the back of his skull. Like they were meant to do that naturally. The smallest traces of red lined the sides of his neck and very edges of the shortly-cut spikes, while traces of jagged gold bangs lined his face. It looked like a much, _much_ shorter version of my own hair, and I silently wondered why the people here had decided to cut it.

His physique was strong and lightly muscled, with a stubborn and proud posture that matched well with his attitude. Sharp cheekbones, a narrow chin, a slightly-pointed nose, and broader shoulders made the differences between us. Whereas _I_ was often mistaken as being younger than my actual age, and Yami's appearance somewhat mirroring that, _he_ had just enough masculinity to his figure that made him appear as more grown up. And Gods above, those _eyes_.

They looked just like the picture. Narrowed, daring, and a striking shade of gemstone-red.

I watched as Pegasus drew close, and Yami stubbornly stood his ground. It was like a showdown from one of those older, cliched Western movies that Jii-chan watched from time to time. Something in me was _screaming_ at that stubborn ass to stand down, and not taunt the metaphorical bull with that red gaze of his. But another part of me was cheering, seeing such unabashed will and refusal to be bullied into submission.

I started as a semi-familiar burst of energy broke the atmosphere, and raw power made the baby hairs on my nape bristle with caution. I bit back a yelp as Pegasus shot his arm forward, only for it to change mid-swipe, before clamping around the throat of my Kindred. Monstrous, silver talons now gripped themselves around the flesh of Yami's throat, digging the collar around his neck with obvious discomfort showing on his defined visage. His face began to redden with a lack of air, and I immediately wanted to go to him – to run over there, and save him. I bit back an instinctive growl, snarling despite not being able to use the strength of Arceus' sharp teeth, as a protective rage filled my belly. I wanted to charge that silver-haired bastard – sink my and Arceus' claws into his flesh, use our fangs to rip out his throat, and just make him suffer and regret even _thinking_ about laying a hand on my Kindred as I tore him limb from limb.

"Let's go for a walk... shall we?" that serpent-of-a-man hissed, and I saw Yami's body subtly tense and twitch with small electrical shocks as Pegasus' grip set off his collar.

He led Yami away, leaving him no choice, as his hand was still clamped over the other's neck. Somewhere, I felt that natural instinct to keep Yami safe overwhelm me – it was like my mind had combined with my Ka's, if only for a moment, and I felt his rage and pain and the _need_ to protect what was _mine_ grip my consciousness. I lurched forwards, intent on blindsiding Pegasus and slamming him onto the floor, so I could bash that _fucker's_ head against it until everything turned red and he stopped moving. But before I could follow through with the rather gruesome mental image in my head, two pairs of hands grabbed me, stalling me, and the door slid closed.

I saw Marik and Bakura immediately race to the door, as if broken from a stupor, the former of which banging on it and calling Yami's name. But it all was covered by a red veil as the intense sensation that _something was wrong_ took over, and I was consumed by those primitive fight-or-flight instincts buried deep within my bloodline. A dragon's rage was leaking through my supposedly-blocked link with Arceus, and for a fleeting moment, I rejoiced at the thought that he was still there. It was only for a second, and then I started to thrash wildly against my brothers' hands.

"_No_!" I screamed at Ryou and Malik, as they held me down and tried to restrain me. I _knew_ that they could sense Arceus' enraged aura on my skin. And, somewhere, I could feel the concerned, cautionary, just-as-frantic presences of Ra and Amane within them. Worried, trying to keep us from doing something we would later regret. Scared, seeing us giving in to such a huge lapse of self-control. "Let go! _Let me_ _go_, _goddammit_! I have to help him – he's going to hurt my Kindred!"

Their weight only pressed more upon me as I tried to scramble away from them, forcing me onto the floor.

"No! Get off! Something's _wrong_, can't you sense that?! I need to protect him, dammit!" That underlying hysteria was taking control as I struggled. For the briefest moment, I could feel a familiar, tingly sensation in my fingers, and I could have _sworn_ I felt my nails lengthen some. I felt them scrape into the hard floor. "_Get off of me_!"

"Yuugi, get a hold of yourself!" I heard Ryou shout as Malik planted all of his weight over my back and shoulders, attempting to grab and subdue my forearms as I tried to find some kind of purchase on the ground, and pull myself away from them. Ryou did the same with my kicking legs, trying to weigh me down until I gave up, and this violent storm passed. I could sense Marik and Bakura staring at me in astonishment at my sudden outburst. In the two weeks since we arrived here, I'd hardly spoken, and the only time I'd acted out was when Pegasus had threatened my grandpa. But it wasn't like _this_. Even after being shocked, I hadn't been so outwardly _violent_.

But why couldn't they _tell_ that something _horrible_ was about to happen? Didn't they care? Couldn't they sense that?! "No, _I need to help Yami_!" My only reply to their shouts for me to calm was an acidic "piss off!" and more squirming, seeing as I was more or less pinned to the ground. _Why can't they see something is wrong?_

I began to tire out, my writhing starting to weaken against my will. I panted heavily as my lungs tried to fuel my body with air, heart pounding and hammering against my chest as the redness began to seep away. I'd hardly managed to struggle even a foot away from where I'd started when the adrenaline leaked itself from my bloodstream. I could feel the pointed edges of my fingernails dull once more. Arceus' emotions – and by default, the driving force to my uncharacteristic rage and desire to cause harm – faded and were locked away by that fucking collar for a second time. I could have sworn I heard him give a faint, distant-sounding roar of anguish and pain as his weak presence tapered out into nothing.

And once the rage had faded, sorrow and dread took its place. I fell still, and hid my face in the crook of my one, free arm as tears began to well up. Shame and dread and helplessness filled me, and I couldn't let them see me cry. I just... _couldn't_.

I didn't have a _clue_ about what had just come over me, and was now long gone, but whatever it was... I knew that it was bad. It was so, _so bad_.

The tests had only started to get worse since my brothers and I got here, going by the words of my brothers' Kindred. And with that pissed, loathing, twisted-yet-pleased expression on Pegasus' face when he came inside, and dragged my Kindred away by the neck...

A part of me feared that – whatever it was Pegasus had in store for him – Yami would _not_ be coming back in one piece.

_If he came back at all_.

* * *

_Fallen: Dun dun DUUUNNNN. Cliff-hanger. Yep, you guys love us. XD Leave a review, and tell us what you think, please? :) Anyways, have a nice day, guys and gals!_

**Nickey: That's right, we left ya with another cliffy XD lol we're such jerks... :P No worries, I'll pull ya from the cliffy next chapter ^w^ Until next time everyone! * waves * Goodbye!**


	9. Torture

_Fallen: So, remember that little promise last chapter to "update on time" I made? Well, I didn't keep it. **But**: that was intentional. I'll leave it to Nickey to explain why..._

**Nickey: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I know... That was ridiculous right? XD Lol, I had to celebrate though, and I'm going to act all sorts of freaking crazy! Why? Simple! Today marks a year that Kindred has been out, not only that, but you guys finally get a chapter away from that damned cliffy XD Lol! So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KINDRED! * tackles Fallen to the ground * I wub yew!**

_Fallen: Right? Aaaaahh, I'm so happy! :D Though... I'm sure that, had it not been for my extreme laziness and lack of motivation to write at the start of all of this... we probably would have been a **lot** farther into the story than we are now... but, hey, at least we're rolling along with all of this now, right? *laughs* Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more. Enjoy!**

* * *

**_~ Chapter IX ~  
_**

_Torture_

* * *

I gasped for breath when my back slammed against the metal table. My jumpsuit was unzipped, and rolled down to reveal my rib cage. My wrists were immediately locked into place, followed by my ankles, then my waist. A thin metal band wrapped around my neck, holding me back against the chilly table.

I attempted to move, but with no luck. The restraints held me so only my eyes could move to look around. Pegasus shooed out the lab technicians, sending them to go do something else so the two of us would be left alone.

He grabbed a scalpel from the shelf on the right side of the room, bringing it over to where I was restrained. "If you're planning a pain tes- _AHH_!"

I couldn't help but scream when the sharpened blade was stabbed violently into my left shoulder. Blood pooled out of the wound as Pegasus ripped the blade from the top of my arm. "I'm sick of searching for that damnable Item! Either you give it to me, or I'll just _rip_ it from you!" he sneered.

"What the fuck are yo-" I tried to ask what he was talking about, only for my voice to lock up as a wave of pain came over me. Tried _so hard_ to find out what the hell it was he wanted. What '_item_' was he talking about? I didn't have _anything_!

The sharp blade pressed against the right side of my chest, a tiny bead of blood pooling up where the blade stuck. "Running your mouth. Living so freely. Never having to do anything."

"I'd love to do anythin-_**AHHH**_!"

It _hurt_... It hurt _so bad_... I _felt_ it.. The blade being dragged across my chest, the pain went as deep as my very _soul_. Apparently my pain wasn't ending there. Because my jumpsuit was rolled down even further, allowing access to my stomach. I felt something sharp being pressed against my skin once again, this time on the right side of my stomach, and it didn't feel like the scalpel blade.

"You son of a bitch!" Pegasus growled, ripping the sharp object across my stomach.

A scream ripped from my throat. One so loud, that I thought I'd make myself go deaf. I didn't know I could ever scream at that kind of pitch or volume. I knew for sure the others had heard it, _my_ ears were ringing from the sound of it. I began trembling, I couldn't help it; it was so _cold_.

"You took her away," Pegasus growled, causing me to look back towards him. I saw what had scratched me now. His Ka's monstrous arm was back, and one of its nails was dripping with blood. "You took away my darling Cecilia!" he screamed at me, ripping his nails across my torso.

"You took away my mom!" I shot back, my anger quickly supplying me with strength. "Everything was fine, until _you_ came along! This is all _you're_ fault! Yo-"

"Shut up!" He screamed, striking me across the face. I felt his claws catch my cheek, leaving scratches that began to bleed.

"You can't make me! I'll never forgive you for what you did!"

"I said shut up!" He snarled, slamming his fist into my still-bleeding stomach. Blood splattered around and I only caused myself more pain when my back attempted to arch so I could supply myself with more oxygen. I could only cough, and continue to cough as I tried to breathe once again.

I wanted to die. Yet I didn't. I wanted this agonizing pain to be over with. I wanted all of it to just _end_! Yet, I found myself wishing to live. I found myself wanting to be with my Kindred in that moment; and the rest of time, for that matter. I wanted to hold him and be held. To love and be loved. I just.. wanted _him_.

_Yuugi.. I don't wanna leave you.. _I thought as a tear ran out of the corner of my eye. It was the first of many – I soon realized – as more came down with it.

"I see you've finally broken..."

"I'm not crying because of your stupid... Whatever the hell this is supposed to be... You can do as you please, because I don't care. You can't hurt me anymore, Pegasus. You can't hurt this body anymore..."

"We'll see about that," he snarled.

I closed my eyes as he continued his little 'experiment', or 'pain test', or whatever this was supposed to be. He couldn't hurt the physical me anymore. The only way he could hurt me, would be to get my Kindred. But I wasn't going to tell him that. If anything happened to Yuugi, I could guarantee, that I'd have to be killed. I'd go on a rampage of blind fury (worse than the one I'd gone on ten years ago). I would kill anyone that dared to approach me, and I know that I would go completely insane.

A twinkle of amethyst glittered behind my closed eyelids, and I could see him clearly. _What are you thinking right now, Yuugi?_

* * *

I opened my eyes to the sound of dripping liquid. How long had I been in here? When were they going to turn on the heat? I was _freezing_. And where the hell did Pegasus go?

The door of the room opened and I heard a gasp. I must've been a mess, because they never came running before like this guy did. He tripped and stumbled over what I assumed to be a tipped over tray of medical tools. From the looks of it, something had jabbed his foot. His hand quickly went to my neck, searching for a pulse. The look on his face when I started talking was priceless. I almost laughed.

"Where's Pegasus?"

"M-M.. Master... You're still alive? H-H... How?" He gaped like a fish, not able to do anything but stare at me with wide eyes.

"I've felt worse... Now... Where's Pegasus?"

"H-He had a meeting... He'll be back any minute. I-I'm just here... to uh.. to get measurements for a new suit.."

"So he's not done with me.."

"I don't believe so... A-Are you... okay? I-I mean.. It looks like most of your blood is on the floor..."

"It doesn't matter... I don't have a heart that he can stop from beating. So this is nothing..."

The man stared at me, and where most people would shift under the uncomfortable stare, I just simply laid there, looking up at the reflective ceiling of the room. He was right... There was a lot of blood pooled around me, and it was beginning to drip to the floor. It looked more like I was the victim at a crime scene, and the police had yet to show up.

Another man came in, dressed in a doctor's outfit, and from the looks of it, he was preparing for some kind of operation. I wonder – oh, shit. Looks like I was the patient... "Get your measurements and get out," he ordered the smaller man as he gathered his tools and sat the tray back up.

"Y-Y-Yes sir!" the little man said, his shaky hands gripping the measuring tape as he went to work. I noticed that it took him longer than usual, probably because he was scared out of his wits and barely able to hold his tape while simultaneously holding his clipboard and pen.

"D-D-Done, sir," he said with a wave of his hand, and he was out the door.

"I dunno what the hell you did to piss off Pegasus, boy, but you're in for a rude awakening," the doctor said, turning to me with a sterilized needle and thread. "Sorry, but he ordered me not to use any pain killers, and to only sew up the ones that would kill you if left opened."

I didn't answer him. Instead I watched as he worked, via the reflective surface ahead of me. I watched the needle go in and out of my skin, pulling it closed, and making sure it stayed that way. I noticed scratches of different sizes littering my body. I knew from experience that I would be stiff in the morning... If it wasn't already the next morning.

I attempted to move my fingers, but no luck there; everything was too tingly and stiff to move. I couldn't even wiggle my toes. Then again, I couldn't tell if it was because of the restraints, or if my body had already begun to lock up. The only thing I could tell for sure was that I'd lost a lot of blood. All I wanted to do was sleep... But I couldn't do that here, I couldn't fall asleep around him. I already went through that once, and I wasn't about to go through it again.

It took a while, but the doctor finally finished closing the deep gashes that ran along my body. An IV was wheeled in to replenish the blood that I had lost.

Pegasus didn't come back until the bag was halfway empty. The smirk that he wore told me he was satisfied with his work, but he wasn't done. The needles that came out afterward, was a sign that now it was time for the experiment to begin. I didn't cry out. I didn't yelp, I didn't jump or attempt to jerk away. I just laid there, which apparently pissed him off more.

He began slapping me, punching me, pulling my hair, pinching me, anything to get a noise from me or cause me bodily harm. I was covered head to toe in scratches, bumps, bruises, stitches, and holes.

"Kemo!" Pegasus growled, calling in his biggest and roughest bodyguard.

"Yes, Master Pegasus?" the burly man answered as he walked into the room.

My vision was becoming blurry, but I fought it off. I wanted to know what they were going to do, what was going to happen to me.

"Take this _thing_ back to his room. Let the others know this is what happens when someone crosses my path."

"Yes, sir."

The restraints were taken off, and I was slung carelessly over Kemo's shoulder. My body hung there, limp and unable to move. A few drops of blood continued to fall from one of the not-so-deep cuts on my arm. Leaving a trail behind me. The lit-up hallway began to disappear as we went along. My eyes closed as we approached the room my brothers, our Kindred and I were held in. I couldn't remain conscious anymore, I could no longer fight off the welcoming darkness that lured me in.

I heard the sound of our door opening, and the resounding gasp through the room once everyone caught sight of my body and the blood that still trickled from beneath the jumpsuit, falling to the floor with a hushed sound.

"Keep this mental image the next time you want to mess with Master Pegasus," I heard Kemo chuckle darkly, before my body was tossed into the room.

I heard a low splattering sound when I landed on the floor, and I could only assume it was my own blood that had caused me to slide a little ways after hitting it with such force. I heard my name being called over and over again, not just by my brothers, but the sound also falling from my own Kindred's lips.

_I'm sorry Yuugi_..._ I have to sleep right now_...That was my last thought, before my mind shut down, and I could no longer hear anything.

* * *

**Nickey: Damn me and my damn leaving right at an intense moment XD Lol! Welp, hope ya all enjoyed! And I'm going to go screaming out of the room, and leave the next chapter in the hands of Fallen... Even though its already done XD * runs screaming out of the room * GOODBYE EVERYONE!**

_Fallen: Seems the two of us are quite fond of cliffhangers, eh? Heh, I guess it sucks to be you guys. XD But, hey – let me tell you guys, it'll all be worth it! You're in for one hell of a read next chapter! *insert evil hand-rubbing here*_

_Please leave a review, and tell us what you guys think! See you all in Chapter 10! :D_


	10. Seeing Red

_Fallen: We (I) are (am) **SOOOOO **sorry for such a late update, everyone!_

**Nickey: So, it definitely took us this long to realize that we (I) forgot to add my A/N to this chapter so Fallen here could upload it XD our sincerest apologies... ^^' So anyway... hm... I don't remember what happens in this chapter... XD I'll just chip in at the end (after I'm sure of what's going on this chapter) Enjoy~!**

_Fallen: Haha, what do you mean, 'you forgot'? You've been looking forward to posting this chapter for, like, **months**, now! *laughs* On another note: **We've hit 50 reviews on Kindred!** Thank you SO much, everyone! :D_

_I'll let you guys go on to the chapter now, but I have a bit of a note at the end and I'd appreciate it if you all spared a couple minutes to read it, alright? Alright. :)_

_**Enjoy the chapter!**_

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**~ Chapter X ~**_

_Seeing Red_

* * *

I don't know how long I was laying there, silencing tears behind my arm. My brothers coddled and tended to me, trying to get me to respond, to tell them what was wrong. Even their _Kindred_ had made a few, hesitant approaches to me, trying to get me to talk to them. But all I could answer them with was the truth, before dissolving into quiet shakes and choked whimpers as I tried to keep from openly sobbing in front of the four of them. _I don't know what's wrong! I don't know what it is – it's just really, really, __**really**__ bad!_

That's all I could think. It was bad. So bad, that something in my head decided to register it as physical _pain_ all over my body. Ripping and stabbing into my chest, my stomach, my arms and legs with such ferocity that all I could do was submit to its influence. I didn't even know what _it_ was, but it was just _so bad_ and _horrible_ and all I wanted to do was curl into a ball and _die_.

I wanted Arceus. I wanted Jii-chan. I wanted my mother.

I wanted Yami.

I _needed_ their comfort, for reasons beyond even that of my own understanding. I just wanted to be held by them, soothed by them, and to feel the love and protection of their auras wrap around me. Soothing my childish fears like a cool balm. I couldn't stop shaking – it felt like that mental endurance nightmare all over again, only ten times worse. I could tell by the worried way Ryou and Malik hovered around me, and the cautious tip-toeing of Marik and Bakura, that they all thought I'd broken and leapt off the deep end into nut-land.

"Yuugi," Marik tried to console me, leaning down to sit by my side with Malik, "I'm _sure_ Yami's going to be fine. Pegasus just probably... didn't get to see an episode of _Funny Bunny_, or whatever the hell that cartoon show he watches is called." I knew he was trying to cheer me up, but the mocking jest didn't do much to lift my spirits. I looked up at him, feeling my eyes begin to water again. "Besides, it can't be _that_ bad. And Yami's tough. Never heard him so much as whimper before our entire time here. He'll be oka-"

It was at that moment that a shrill, bloodcurdling, throat-ripping scream of agony chose to slice its way through the docile halls, muffled by countless walls and doors, yet managing to reach us, all the same. I saw the Egyptian's face go blank in pure horror, and his tan complexion pale. From a few feet behind us, I could see Bakura whip around to the door, even his incredibly-pale skin managing to whiten by a few shades. All I could do was huddle up on myself, that metaphysical agony melting beneath my skin, hands pressed over my ears in a desperate attempt to block out those cries.

I don't know how long I stayed like that. I drew into myself, completely ignoring and blocking out any and all outside stimulus. I felt as if I were starting to go mad with dread and worry. All I could remember, was when they brought Yami back. Or, at least... what I could only _assume_ was my Kindred.

Some big, hulking ape-of-a-man had him slung over a shoulder as if he were carrying a sack of flour, and then dropped him to the floor like it'd been replaced by bricks. I looked up sharply and gaped as the tile was slicked in red, my Kindred's body sliding forward more than usual on momentum and the wetness of his own blood. The scent of iron and salt stung my senses like an angry hornet, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to gag or scream.

There, laying injured and broken, was the stubborn, fiery-eyed, jackass of a man that was Yami. My Kindred. His jumpsuit was in tattered ruin, looking as if it had been rolled down before whoever tried to remove it had given up and just ripped their way through the shredded thing. Large, gruesome wounds covered almost every inch of his skin. A sick rainbow of bruises, shaped like hand-prints and the impact of fists, decorated his face, neck, stomach – pretty much anywhere skin was soft, and durability lacking. His arms looked as if someone had attempted to shove them into a meat grinder, and his torso like they'd taken to it with a knife and decided to fillet the skin straight from his ribcage. Only they'd done a really, _really_ bad job with it. With thick cords of stitching sewing up the worst of the injuries, I knew that he wasn't in an danger of dying (not anymore, at least), but it was apparent by the amount of crimson staining his remaining jumpsuit and poorly-cleansed skin that he'd lost a _lot_ of blood.

That guerrilla carbon-copy disaster smirked at our horrified expressions.

"Keep this mental image the next time you want to mess with Master Pegasus," he chuckled, as if this were some kind of joke, and we were the punchline. I looked away from my Kindred, just long enough to see the smug scorn on his face. I felt something inside of me heat with pure rage.

I printed that face into the forefront of my mind, and upon it, I stamped the word '_revenge_' in bright-red letters like a greeting card gone wrong.

I didn't move until the sound of feet and slamming of the door shook me awake from my internal pit of loathing and violent promises I fully intended on keeping. Two shapes ran past me – one tan, one pale – before stooping at Yami's faintly-moving sides, and trying to stir him. That small, dreading section of my mind from before released a large wave of anguish, and I found myself charging over to my Kindred in seconds. His eyes fluttered for mere moments, before ruby irises were sealed away from me.

"Yami!" I shouted at him, my hand coming to squeeze an uninjured part of his left arm as I kneeled beside him.

He didn't respond.

"_Yami_!" I tried again, voice growing more shrill as I began to panic, "Yami, wake up! Open your eyes, dammit!" I shook him, but to no avail. The tears from before came back with a vengeance, and soon the warm moisture was cresting down my cheeks, dripping to the floor below to mingle with Yami's blood. "Pl-Please wake up!"

I'd never felt so _helpless_ before. I wasn't a doctor, some kind of miracle-worker, or anything like that! I couldn't tell if he was going to live or die, if he was seconds away from breathing his last, or just going unconscious from the ordeal. I didn't even have a blanket to cover and keep him warm with. All I could do was sit there, by his side, sniffling pathetically and just hoping and praying to every last deity I knew that my Kindred would wake up again. I just _found_ him, dammit! I _refused_ to lose him before we even got a chance to know each other!

With the help of his brothers, I managed to shift Yami so his head was laying in my lap. At the very least, it would provide a little more comfort for him as he rested. And suddenly, all that had happened these past few weeks, months, however long we'd been there... all of the frustration I had felt, all the time I'd spent ignoring him because of some stupid little argument that hurt my feelings... Gods above, it was all so pointless and_ stupid_ now.

_I won't let this happen to you again_, I silently vowed to him, _We are Kindred. It is our jobs to look out for and protect one another, and I'm sorry that I've failed you so miserably at that. I promise you, Yami, that I __**will not**__ let this happen a second time. Even if it kills me._

I gently ran my fingers through Yami's short, tri-colored hair, and had the others not been watching, I just might have given in to the sudden temptation to kiss him on the forehead.

* * *

When Yami had finally begun to stir, it was needless to say that I fretted over him like the _biggest_ mother-hen the world had ever seen. I had immediately demanded if he was feeling alright, where he was hurting, constantly asking if there was anything I could have done to make things even a little bit better for him. He'd been weak, throat raw and voice hoarse from his screaming, and continuously teetered along the line between consciousness and sleep. My lap was his pillow, and I tried my best to keep from moving out of the fear I would aggravate his injuries or make him uncomfortable.

For the first couple of days, he needed assistance with even the most basic of tasks, like sitting up straight when he got tired of laying down on the floor. And though he was _very_ adamant about his "_being fine_" and "_not needing anyone's help_" at first – let alone from _me_ – he eventually had to swallow his pride and accept the help being given. I was sure to be there when he needed help to stand up or walk around. I applied medicine to his wounds, and changed his bandages daily, receiving a constant supply of the stuff from a cold-eyed brunette scientist the other three seemed familiar with. And since his arms and back were still badly hurt, sore, and in the middle of healing, when our meals were delivered to us, I had to help him sit up and eat. The whole 'feeding him' thing didn't sit too well with Yami, but he had come to accept that – for now, anyways – it was a required blow to his pride.

Marik and Bakura did their fair share of 'babying', as the stubborn teen had phrased it before, but they made the rather wise decision to leave most of it to me. With my Kindred being so badly hurt, my most primal and fierce of instincts towards keeping him safe were constantly going haywire. I was extremely cautious when it came to others being around him – honestly, even when it came to our own families, I was hesitant. I knew that neither his brothers nor mine would _ever_ think about trying to hurt him in any way, shape, or form, yet there was always this little piece of me that seemed to be expecting the worst. I know it made them all a little (a lot, really) uncomfortable – well, besides Yami; the bastard found it _funny_ – and I constantly apologized for my actions, but I couldn't help but to keep watch over the bullheaded jerk like a mother dog over her litter of pups.

Or, for a better comparison: a mother dragon over her clutch of eggs. Or hatchlings. Whichever worked more.

Though I had always been somewhat... possessive, of those I held dear, I mostly assumed that all of this was actually due to my Ka. Arceus had explained to me once a few years ago – when I was about thirteen, if memory serves me correctly – that beast-spirits like him, and therefore me as well, were naturally that way.

* * *

"_Even though people picture us as greedy, treasure-hoarding creatures_-" he had told me – after a particularly bad bought of clingy-ness (on both our parts) towards Jii-chan. Some older teens had decided to vandalize and try robbing the shop (before Jii-chan and his Ka gave them a thorough beat-down) a few days beforehand. "-_dragons are actually very loyal, family-oriented beings. It is difficult to gain a dragon's trust, which is why those with draconian souls tend to be more shy or isolated, but once we find someone that we hold dear, they become a part of something much greater than our families._" I had asked him what else those special people could be.

"_They become a part of our heart. And we will protect our heart with the ferocity of Hellfire should any be foolish enough to threaten it._" Then, he had tried to soothe me, as Grandpa had become irritated at my 'childish behavior' as of late. "_Sugoroku may not be able to relate to the nature of a dragon's faithfulness, Little One, but I know that he will understand, should you give him the chance. Try explaining to him how the ones who tried to cause harm to our family are making you feel, how you are feeling towards the safety and well-being of him and our brothers. After all..._"

He had given me a toothy, reptile-like grin.

"_We may not keep gold within our troves, Little One, but we __**do**__ keep loved ones there. And that is the greatest treasure of all._"

* * *

I shifted and stretched, before leaning back against the wall in a form of content. Yami was at my side, dozing lightly as his body began to shift closer and closer to my own, head occasionally dropping down towards my shoulder, before bobbing back up in an unyielding attempt for him to stay awake. We were seated at the center point of our shared room, right along the seam of space that separated light and darkness. I, of course, was resting on the brighter side, Yami on the darker one. I smiled to myself despite the circumstances.

It had been a little over two weeks since that horrible bloodbath of a day, where Yami had been taken away by Pegasus' psychopathic hands, only to be dumped at our feet hours later, brutally injured, and balancing on a tightrope between what we had all been sure was life and death. Yami was recovering nicely beneath the care of Marik, Bakura and I, along with the occasional additive of Ryou and Malik every now and then. They seemed to have warmed up a little bit to the red-eyed idiot. Which I was thankful for – especially now that the two of us had actually managed to strike up a few _civil_ conversations. I still hadn't gotten that apology... but I didn't really bother myself with it much anymore. We had both been fools fueled by our pride and self-righteousness and said a lot of things without thinking, myself especially.

Either way, I was just happy that... I was finally able to connect with him.

I heard him mumble something, and I glanced to my Kindred as he shifted and gave a yawn. Crimson eyes, blurred with sleep, flicked open, and rolled up to lazily meet my own amethyst gaze. I saw his lips twitch with the edge of a smile, and I couldn't help but to grin, myself. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty," I teased, to which his only reply was to give a weak, halfhearted shove to my shoulder. It didn't do much more than make me chuckle. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the floor."

He snorted, and sat up straight, arms slowly reaching upwards in a careful stretch. "Shuddup," he muttered. I gave a mock-scoff.

"I can see that _you're_ nice as ever."

He rolled his eyes, retorting, "And I can see that _you_ are still a brat." Though his tone was a little harsh, I could tell that he didn't mean it. Or, at least... not _completely_. We still had more than enough awkward, tense, somewhat-conflicting interactions, but I was pleased to see that they seemed to become less and less frequent as the days went on. It was weird, to have a screaming match at one another just a few months ago, and yet, here we are. Me being a mother-hen, him actually _tolerating_ it, and the two of us managing to be less than half a foot away from one another. Without tossing around any sort of 'go-for-the-throat' commentary. Was settling in with one another so quickly a common thing for Kindred? Or were we just lucky on that particular factor?

I felt him change positions again, and some underlying part of me buzzed with a sense that Yami was growing restless. I gently nudged him with a shoulder, careful to avoid any injured parts of his body, and he glanced at me. I offered a smile, feeling the slightest bit unsure. Sometimes he could be moody when I offered to help him. "Want to walk around, or something? Loosen up the muscles, and such," I suggested, mentally bracing for some sort of mouthy retort. But, instead, I was surprised when he just shrugged, as if considering the idea.

"Sure," came the reply, and I couldn't help but to grin in my enthusiasm, "Mind helping me up?"

I scooted a few inches away from Yami, leaving him to support himself against the wall as I stood. Offering an arm, I slowly eased him into a more straight position, and just-as-carefully brought him to his feet, wrapping an arm at his back for leverage. I know he was still _extremely_ opposed to the idea of being 'babied', but it was a necessary evil.

That, and if he ended up getting hurt because he refused help all the time... I'm sure it's a mutual understanding between us at this point, that I'd merrily send my foot sailing up his stubborn ass to compliment any reopened wounds.

After a few moments to steady ourselves, his left arm slung casually over my shoulders, and we started to walk a lap around the room. Not just the light side – we looped around the darker half, too. Though I was still hesitant of the darkness, I felt safer with someone else being so close to me. That, and I knew the only potentially dangerous things we could wander upon here were either Marik or Bakura, and they didn't pose much of a threat. At least, not when I had their 'baby brother' on one side, and the threats of their Kindred to "_play nice_" on the other. I couldn't help but to chuckle at that.

A few months' time was all it took for my brothers to wrap their Kindred around their little fingers.

I offered a smallish nod in the direction Yami's siblings' silhouettes as we ambled by nonchalantly. I could really only make out their eyes at this point, considering my own hadn't had time to adjust to the lighting, but I could catch small glimpses of a nod from each of them in return. Yami and I turned smoothly at the corner of the walls and continued on. He was quiet, but not in that usual way of his I had come to notice. More in a... thoughtful manner. My steps fell into perfect sync with his own as I opened my mouth to ask him what was on his mind.

I paused however, when a quiver of... of _something_, ran up my spine. It felt as if icy fingers had skimmed their way over my back, and I shivered, feet stopping. I could sense Yami's confusion, and he even muttered an unsure, "Yuugi?" at my falter, but I payed it no heed. Something deep, deep inside my mind was beginning to raise a red flag, and I felt the hair on the back of my neck bristle in unease. For the briefest of moments, I thought I heard a growl of warning ring inside my head.

_Arceus?_ I thought absently, eyes widening in shock. I heard Yami say my name another time, sounding uncertain, but I couldn't find it in myself to tell him I was alright.

Just like that day two weeks ago, an unseen force within me was screaming _danger_! And, just like before, something felt like it had gone so, _so_ wrong. "Yuugi!" my companion snapped again, and I quickly turned to look at him. He raised a brow at me, looking like he was stuck somewhere between concern and irritation. "What's the matter with you?" he asked, "I've said your name, like, five times!"

I blinked at him, before feeling my face heat. "Oh!" I stammered, embarrassment making my tongue tie knots in itself. "S-Sorry, I was just..." He studied me again, inquisitive and expectant. "I, uh... I spaced off a little-" I cut myself off when, somehow, I could... _feel_ a person approaching our room. It was a rather faint sensation – like a thousand tiny, invisible wires, tied into a receptor at the back of my mind, and with each movement outside of this presumed safe-zone the six of us were contained in, those wires gave off vibrations. Like a spider's web. Only this... _this_ carried a particular sense of foreboding to the spider, rather than the prospect of a meal.

At the back of my head, something began to spark in that hollow that Arceus' presence had once resided in. Much like a clipped wire, still live and waiting for a connection to complete the circuit.

Going by the tensity of Yami's posture, I could tell that he knew something was up – something that did not bode well for any of us. I could feel my jaw set, and I struggled to hold back the instinctive baring of teeth that my Ka would do whenever he felt I or a loved one was threatened. I felt my throat constrict around a small sound – probably a growl, now that I think about it – but it didn't do much to keep the sound from escaping.

The feet stopped, and I felt myself draw a pace closer to my Kindred without the active thought of it. I felt him grip my arm, in a way to steady us both. And, judging by the sudden silence that had whispered over our room – the idly, hushed chatter of our brothers now gone – the others had picked up on the danger, as well. I looked up, just as the door began to open, as Malik and Ryou quietly scurried from the lighter parts of our prison, to be somewhat hidden in the half-darkness. I saw Bakura shift, before swiftly darting his way towards his white-haired Sheut – seeing as how Ryou was claustrophobic and _despised_ dimly-lit spaces – and sent a silent thanks towards the rugged-looking man. Malik and Marik exchanged a glance, but the former seemed to have his mindset on sticking close to our brother. I caught a minuscule nod from both of them at the noiseless decision.

"Morning, boys!" a deepish, rather gruff-sounding voice chortled, and I felt my muscles go tight, "Got a little surprise for a few of you!" Large hands clapped together, and the lights above flared to their highest possible setting, making all of us flinch a little. I squinted my eyes at the sudden flood of brightness. They adjusted quickly, however, before fixating on the speaker before us. Because I recognized that voice. I _knew_ who that person was.

I felt my eyes widen as, standing there, clad in a casual-looking suit-and-tie getup, was none other than the beast who had delivered my Kindred here, beaten and bloody, over half a month ago. A name Yami had murmured to me in his half-conscious moments after first waking up. The face I had imprinted to my brain smirked back at us smugly. It had few lines to suggest his age, and had neutral features caught in between squared and slender. Dark eyes glinted carelessly in the florescent lighting.

_Kemo!_ something in me snarled, and I could feel that live wire flash dangerously. A sudden desire to scratch something valuable from that _creature's_ face (preferably his eyes) nearly overtook me, and I clenched a fist to quell it.

"So," Kemo continued, as if he didn't notice the rising hostility and tenseness in the air, "to make this a lot easier for all of us, I need the freak, the albino, and the blonde to come with me." He motioned offhandedly to Yami, Ryou, and Malik, and I could feel the spark react at each gesture with more and more voracity. _Begging_ me to let the temptation take hold.

He then took a small object – strikingly similar to a television remote – from his slacks pocket, and poised a finger above an array of buttons. "Let's go for a little _walk_."

He pressed something, and the world was thrown into the earth-shattering pain of an electric shock. It seared hotly around my throat, and I heard several cries as the six of us all dropped to the ground in erratic convulsions. I could feel Yami writhing at my side, and I wanted to reach for him, but all my hands could seem to do right now was to clamp around the collar at my neck. As if some part of me was still trying to pry it off, despite numerous failed attempts. Kemo started to walk closer, looking pleasant, as if he were on a morning stroll through the park rather than electrocuting six helpless teenagers. He went for my brothers first, and I felt a strangled cry of protest and mourning leave me as he gripped them by the hair, and dragged them away from the rest of the group. All the while, they whimpered and shouted in pain, bodies twitching and jerking with electricity.

As his shoes tapped ominously towards Yami and I, the wire that had taken shape in the hollow of mine and Arceus' mental bond began to strengthen, growing more violent and insistent with its pulls to protect what was _mine_, and punish the fool that dared to cause harm to what – or rather _whom_ – I held dear.

I flung out an arm, using that new motivation to try and rise above the influence of the shock, and swung it across Yami's side. I managed to throw a glare at Kemo, feeling Yami's surprise at my possessive gesture, and Pegasus' crony just laughed. "Grabby, aren't we?" the drone taunted, storming closer with a sick, twisted grin of enjoyment on his face, "You always like this, kid, or are you just excited?"

I could feel my nerves beginning to numb towards the pain, which both relieved and frightened me. My throat began to lessen its spasms; just enough for me to spit out an acidic "_bite me_" at that son of a bitch. He howled with laughter, and I cried out against my will as a beefy hand tangled its way into my spiky hair. I heard Yami give a strangled shout to me in protest. "Oh, so that's what you like," he snickered, as if observing something he found of _extreme _interest in me, "Kinda masochistic, don't you think? Ah, well, I guess we can work that out in a more... _private_ experiment, once Pegasus is finished up with your little fuck-toy and the doppelgangers, here."

Shivers that were not caused by electricity ran down my spine at the promising smirk he gave me after saying that. I felt my stomach twist in disgust.

"_Sonofa _-!" Yami's arm shot out, and gripped Kemo's wrist tightly enough for his dull nails to break the skin. The man recoiled in surprise and pain, dropping me in the process, before setting a dead-eyed glare onto my Kindred. Yami snarled right back, red eyes blazing in rage.

"You little-!" he roared back, before kicking me to the side (_literally_), and lunging for my Kindred. I tumbled to his right, grunting loudly at the impact, as the beast-of-a-man set upon Yami in anger. At the first kick to his ribcage, I heard six different cries – five of anger, one of pain – sound from each of the prisoners kept in this room, myself included. Another three, strong kicks were delivered before I found the strength to act.

I grabbed his ankle as it wound back to release another blow upon my defenseless Kindred's stomach, and _snarled_ at him. "Don't you fucking touch them!" I warned, feeling the spark grow into a flame, reaching out as if to mentally wrap Ryou, Malik, Yami, Marik, and Bakura in a protective blaze, keeping them safe from any and all harm. The foot made contact with the ground, and my body let out a subconscious growl as those eyes looked back to me.

They were angry, yet amused. Pain stabbed my side like a blade as he released his foot from my trembling grasp, and kicked me away sharply. I tumbled over myself, before skidding to a stop a few feet away, still giving the occasional jolt, despite my body having dulled out the majority of the shock's impact. I struggled to look back at him, straining my muscles to resist locking up. "_Or what_?" Kemo dared.

"I'll make you rue the day you were conceived," I promised him, feeding off of this new, angry energy to help raise myself. It took a few moments, and my arms still shook badly, but I managed to lift myself onto my hands and knees. My side shrieked in agony, but the look of astonishment and disbelief on his face to the fact that I was still able to _move_ was more than enough incentive to ignore it. The fires in my head and heart and soul burned brighter, starting to consume me in a veil of furious, bloody red. Something odd tingled over my skin – a metaphysical energy having nothing to do with the collar – and at the same time, this oddity felt _familiar_. It was similar to when my Ka would silently will me to sprout fangs or claws before, like back in the Matching Center; when I had to give the computer an Aureole sample.

And, as Kemo just stood there and laughed at my brazenness, I allowed myself to sink into the burning-yet-soothing presence, as our link began to revive – if only for a moment. _Arceus!_ I mentally shouted, and I could feel his unfiltered rage and disgust and sheer, unforgivable _hatred_ towards this man. To Pegasus, the scientists, everyone that had anything to do with harming his loved ones. His precious trove of souls, more valuable than any amount of gold or jewels this existence could offer him. I almost wept with joy as his segment of our soul washed over me in waves of security and love and regret for not being able to help sooner.

"Oh, that's a riot!" Kemo continued, and I could feel my skin begin to crawl with pure spiritual energy, "What're you gonna do, _pipsqueak_? Tell your _mommy_? Or, hey, how about your _grandpa_?" Pain and outrage flooded me, and I reached out mentally to take that broiling fire inside me in a vice-grip, the newly-awoken consciousness of Arceus snarling at the statement. He fed himself from my fury, as I did from his. My gums began to ache as I felt my teeth shape into deadly fangs. My left eye began to burn as something strange and new happened.

I could feel my Ka's half of our shared soul fighting for control, begging to be released, to see through his Ba's eyes this horrible, agonizing, hateful world, and the person who now stood at the center of it all. I could _feel my eye change_, and I could _feel_ my pupil begin to narrow into a catlike sliver.

Kemo reached down, and grabbed Yami by the scalp, "What, does the little _shrimp_ not want to share his toy?" he guffawed lewdly, and I braced my fingers into the floor as claws began to grow. I could feel myself starting to tremble, purely from the amount of raw _fury_ in my bones. Arceus released a deep, thunderous growl in our mental link, and the threatening sound escaped my lips. Kemo paused, smile falling in bemusement, and I saw both his and Yami's eyes go wide.

My leg raised, and my equilibrium shifted forward to Arceus' will, as if preparing our Akh to pounce. I was shaking so badly that I felt as if every last muscle in my body were mere milliseconds away from collapsing in on themselves, and every movement had me straining to do anything other than black out from exertion. I could feel the electric crackle emitting from my collar, burning the skin beneath it in a final, all-or-nothing attempt to neutralize the threat I now posed. I clenched my teeth to keep myself from screaming.

There was a surge of horrid, gut-twist agony, and then...

..._nothing_.

My voice was laced with the baritone of my Ka's own as we both gave a roar of fury.

"_**GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS AWAY FROM MY HEART!**_"

My skin gave in to the tingling, and I could feel the small patches of crystallized scales forming over our physical body. In a split-second, they crawled up my left arm, and mottled patches appeared on the hand, fingers, and wrist of the other. I could sense the texture spilling over from my spine, following the individual tracks of skin that covered my ribs, and the burn left behind by my collar. Large, predatory claws tore from my fingertips, and ripped through the feet of my jumpsuit. Every last inch of my being was combining with Arceus – mind, body, and soul, Merging together, but not in a way I had ever experienced before.

And the _power_. This raw, fervid, _unearthly_ power; it was so intense, so _overwhelming_, it was like it couldn't be contained by a mere, mortal body. For a moment, as that magical essence rippled around me, all I could think of was that Aureole wavelength I had seen in the Matching Center. With lines so close together, it looked more like a jumbled scribble of nonsense. I could feel it, see it, emerging from my skin like free-floating liquid, the same color as my Ka's aura. It spread over me, numbing my pain, and taking shape, connecting itself to my body like a second layer of skin. It lashed out from my spine as a long, crystal-coated tail, jutted from my head in the shape of a dragon's twisted horns and long, serrated muzzle, and arching from my back in two grand, brightly-glowing wings.

Kemo stumbled back a pace, and without thinking, I fell under the influence of a dragon's predatory rage, and leapt at him with a snarl, claws extended.

I felt my nails hook into fabric, and I gave a smirk as I pulled myself forward with this new aid. Arceus' talons sliced easily through the threads with a clean _rrrriiip!_, and the sound sent an odd thrill of satisfaction racing through my veins. I twisted my body in mid-air, twirling my new, energy-created tail to keep balance, and tossed Kemo's large body away with an easy sense of grace and strength I had never experienced before. Arceus pivoted us to easily land on all fours, as Kemo collided with the floor in a clumsy heap. I jumped over the cowering bodies of my brothers as they stumbled their way to their Kindred, and the five of them huddled in a defensive group against the wall. Kemo scrambled to his feet, and I placed myself between him and my loved ones with a very animal-like stance; legs tense and ready to pounce, arms balancing me, claws scratching into the ground as I bared my teeth at him in a snarl. I felt the pupil of Arceus' visible eye constrict threateningly as he released a serpentine hiss from our throat.

The normal pitch of my voice had a dark, deadly undertone to it. The deep, rolling timbre of Arceus echoed beneath my own, as two parts of a soul spoke through one body. "_Bastard_," I spat at him, "You will not lay another hand on my loved ones! And if you know what's good for you, you'll _get out of my sight_!" I felt my tail lash in anger, and I was _dying_ to give these nails a higher purpose than carving into the floor.

I tensed as his hand flew down to the belt of his pants, and gripped something I hadn't noticed before. The shape of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol was whipped into view, and directed to target the center-point between my eyes. "Get back, _freak_!" he shrieked in a mixture of anger and fear. "Get back or I'll kill you, and all your little friends, too! I've got a bullet for each of you!" I could feel the room's atmosphere begin to shift as Kemo tried to summon the power of his own Ka.

A veil of blood and violence fell over my senses, and all I could see was that hateful face, _begging_ to be torn apart. Our voice was dripping venom as Arceus released another scathing hiss.

"_Wrong choice_."

I lurched forward with a cry of fury, and went for the source of the threat: his gun-wielding arm.

My fangs sank easily into flesh, and the taste of blood flooded across my palette as I bit down harder. Within mere seconds, I both felt and heard the wet snap of bone, mixing with Kemo's scream of agony. I jerked us to the side, fangs slicing deeper into his limb as it dropped the pistol. Releasing his arm, I whipped around Arceus' spiritually-manifested tail, and struck him across the back with its spikes, sending Kemo sprawling across the room. I placed myself firmly between Pegasus' henchman and my family – those five precious souls my Ka and I had already came to hold close to our heart. I _would not_ allow these monsters to bring them anymore pain!

I went for him a second time as he withdrew a cellphone-looking device, and began to scream into the receiver in panic. "_Someone get down here_! _This freak is fucking insane_\- _**agh**_!" I swiped the phone from his good hand, and shattered it into spare parts with a single downward strike from Arceus' tail. He tried to get up, to run away, to reach for that pistol on the ground, to Merge with his Ka and take me out.

But I _wouldn't give him the chance_.

I brought my claws down over his good arm, tearing into the muscle in a blind fervor. I reached around with the other to score deep wounds into his torso, biting hard into the junction of his neck and shoulder for leverage – missing his jugular artery by inches. I scratched, clawed, tore into him with all I had as he thrashed around, trying to beat me off of him. Fed up with his fighting, I grabbed Kemo by the shoulders, twisted him around, and slammed his back to the floor. I caught a glimpse of the damage my assault had done to him – his suit was shredded into ribbons, soaked dark with red, and his right eye was swollen shut by a claw that had _barely_ missed its mark. His eyes were wide and wild with terror and agony, and his frame shook weakly beneath me.

In spite of myself, I gave a wide, sharp-toothed smirk, chuckling lowly, quietly. "What's the matter, _dog_?" I taunted, reveling in the fear and pain that had been generously given back to him from one of his victims, "Didn't your precious _Master_ tell you not to mess with a dragon's treasures? I'd expect that someone like _you_ should know not to fuck with what they see as precious." That was Arceus, his guttural snarl overlapping my lighter, middle-pitched voice.

"I wonder how long it'll take for you to feel sorry for hurting my loved ones," I hissed at him, unable to restrain a wicked grin at the _gratification_ I felt, returning an ounce of the suffering he and his boss had inflicted upon Yami and the others. "Should we have a more _private experiment_ to test that? I'll _gladly_ give you a little taste of what that _fucker_ you call your boss did to my Kindred!" I sank the talons of one hand into his skin, and rose the other to hover above his throat. Kemo whimpered out miserably. "_Feeling sorry yet_?"

He just nodded his head, unable to form words. I could feel him trembling beneath me, and I tilted my head back some, studying him through hooded eyes. An unimpressed look came to my face, and I snorted in scorn at his pathetic appearance. Pale as a sheet, torn up like an old rag, bug-eyed in terror and with a _painful_ lack of bite to go along with his nerve-grinding bark. Then I drew closer. "If you so much as _breathe the same air_ as them again," I murmured into his ear, voice falling to a near-whisper, "_I promise you_, that the last thing you will ever see will be Arceus and I's claws_ ripping out your fucking throat_." I braced said claws in menace, making sure he could feel the weight of my threat. As I pulled back again, I smirked at him, and hissed, "_How's that for masochistic_?"

I was never one to break my promises.

The sounds of feet pounding towards our room began to hum around us, and I growled at him, standing, dragging Kemo up with me. I pivoted on my heel, gripping Kemo's tattered suit, before tossing him at the door as it burst open. Nearly a dozen men and women all startled, some crying out in panic, as the man's bloody, limp body slumped to the floor in front of them. The only indication that Kemo was still _living_ were the whimpers he let out at every breath. I straightened my posture, Arceus beginning to flick and lash his tail in warning. I could feel his aureole wings start to shiver.

For a moment, I cast my eyes over the room. The previously-clean floor was decorated in smears and spatters of red, with several gouges carving long lines into it. I glanced briefly over my shoulder, to see Yami and the others gaping at me. Something that took me by surprise, were the tears I caught in Ryou and Malik's eyes. Yami's red gaze was wide, and something protective flared inside of Bakura and Marik. Almost as if they expected me to turn on _them_. Something in me faltered, but all Arceus did was glare at the entourage before us, and snap out a sharp "_get out_".

One man, who had been helping Kemo from the room, turned with a twisted look of ire on his face. He sneered at us, before charging, as his hands changed their appearance, taking on large, black claws, with the smallest hint of scales on his fingertips. Another with a draconic Ka. "_You fucking __**monster**_!" he roared, and Arceus hissed at him, since I was mostly unresponsive at this point. Feigning to one side, he threw the other man's guard to the wind, before bringing down a deadly hand of razor-sharp talons, and slashing them mercilessly across the unmarred plane of his face.

The crack of gunfire mingled with the other guard's scream of agony, and I felt several small, pointed things pierce through the softer parts of my skin. Any that hit scales ricocheted and clattered to the ground. I staggered as the sedative darts' effects began to counter my adrenaline and aureole energy. Arceus cried out in madness as I shouted in pain, stumbling towards the ground. I heard footsteps approaching me, surprisingly calm in the situation, as Arceus' aura began to evaporate into the air. My chest heaved with exertion as the tranquilizers brought me to my hands and knees.

"_Pegasus_," I snarled, swiping out blindly when I heard the man come into my reach. He jumped out of the way with ease, almost _casually_. His shoe met my chest, and I grunted as the breath was stolen from my body, bringing me to the floor. Arceus' power was fading, and my muscles felt loose and weak without it. I could feel my teeth and nails dulling, and silently cried out in frustration and despair at the thought of losing my connection with him a second time.

"Take this _thing_ to the isolation room, and make preparations for another, more durable collar for it. Put no limits on the collar's electrical shock – use lethal force if necessary once it's on." I felt hands grab at my arms and shoulders, and I began to squirm in defiance. "Take Mister Kemo to the infirmary at once. Also..." he looked to me in thought, and I growled. He gave me a smug look. "I think this _mutt_ deserves a muzzle. Have one fashioned."

Chants of "_yes, sir_," filled the air, and I jerked away from the hands as they began to drag me from the room. Pegasus stood by impassively, watching me with those calculative eyes the entire time. "Get your fucking hands off me!" I snapped, doing my damnedest to put up a fight. All I could think was _get to Yami get to your Kindred __**protect them**_ as I thrashed around. I knew the desperate madness in my head was beginning to reflect within my gaze. "_Pegasus_, you goddamn _coward_! You'll be the one needing a muzzle to _keep your fucking jaw on your head_ when I'm finished with you!"

Agony exploded against the back of my skull as something blunt struck me there – probably the butt of a gun – and I tried to keep from vomiting as everything swirled in a mass of indistinguishable color. The two forced me to my feet. "_Let go of me_!" I yelled, voice still holding the underlying shriek of Arceus, throwing myself blindly to the side in an attempt to dislodge my captors. I felt my body shove another _hard_ into the door's frame, and I winced at the pain it brought. I did it again as the other guard gripped me by the hair, slamming him into the wall before another smash to the head sent me into pain-inflicted placidity. My body refused to respond, and I could feel my muscles going limp, my head lolling forwards lifelessly, though I was still _very_ much awake. I blinked rapidly, trying to focus in on something, anything, as existence became a painful, disorienting mess of nauseating color and blaring noise. I could feel myself, being partially carried, but mostly dragged, away, and down an unknown hallway.

I didn't fight as I was tossed into the darkness of my supposed 'isolation' room; it was all I could do to keep from either throwing up, or passing out. Or maybe both. My brain felt like it was floating in a fishbowl, and my ears were ringing loudly as a sudden fatigue took over my consciousness. Though I knew it was the _worst possible thing_ I could do right now, I wanted to sleep. Shakily, and rose to my hands and knees, looking up slowly. I felt my pulse spike as I was greeted with empty blackness. Shivers ran up and down my spine, and my head throbbed in a sickening tempo that matched my heart. But, to my relief, I still could sense the lingering presence of my Ka in my mind.

"A... A-Arc...eus," I whimpered quietly, feeling a small tug at the edges of my awareness. It was usually just a gentle pull, but now, it brought on so much pain that I felt myself start to gag and wretch as I tried to keep from vomiting, a hand clamping over my mouth on instinct. Arceus immediately stopped, and I could feel his metaphysical pain mingling with my own. I grimaced as a stickiness that coated my fingers smeared over my lips, and I thoughtlessly tried to lick the offending stuff away. The taste of blood renewed itself in my mouth. I started, spitting the nasty taste away, before experimentally tapping my hands together. I could feel the cooling moisture of Kemo's blood sticking against my skin, and my stomach lurched. The weight of the crimson liquid had plastered itself over my hands, my arms, my chest – everywhere, really. Large spatters of it marked my torso, with smaller splashes and droplets having sunk into the lower portion of my jumpsuit. I could feel a dried smear of the crimson liquid covering part of my cheek.

I began to tremble, and it took all my will to keep from lacing bloodied fingers into the spikes of my hair. "O-Oh my Gods..." I murmured aloud, as if there were someone else to actually _talk to_. "Oh, G-Gods!"

_I almost killed someone_, my brain screamed at me on repeat, _I almost killed someone, I almost killed someone, __**I almost fucking killed someone**__!_

_He deserved it_, Arceus retorted quietly, despite the smallest traces of regret I felt emanating from him. I gasped quietly at the feeling of a second voice whispering inside my throbbing head. _He and every last man and woman in this place deserve it._

_But we almost __**killed**__ someone, Arceus!_

_That doesn't matter!_ I heard him snap, and existence swirled with oblivion as my Ka forced himself to manifest before me. The crystalline, faintly-glowing, enraged dragon that was my Ka was snarling as he shouted. I went to cover my ears at the volume of his voice."_He hurt our Kindred! He hurt Amane and Ra!_"

"_Doesn't matter_?!" I shrieked aloud, "Arceus, by the Gods, we almost fucking _murdered_ someone! He could have a family!"

"_You mean like __**we**__ did with Jii-chan, before those __**bastards murdered him**__?!_" he roared back, and I flinched away in a mixture of fear and sorrow.

"We... W-We don't know that for s-sure..."

Arceus huffed, and his reptilian face twisted into a sneer. "_I've always known you were overly-trusting, but this is ridiculous._" I raised a brow at him, trying to hide the hurt those words brought. "_**You**__, Yuugi Mutou, are a damn __**fool**__ for thinking twice about sparing any of those monsters!_"

Tears welled in my eyes, and I snapped back on reflex. "Well _you_ are a piece of me! So I guess that makes you just as foolish as I am! You're letting your anger cloud your judgment!"

"_Says the one who just used my half of our soul to maul that son of a bitch, and give him a piece of what he deserved! Those people murdered Sugoroku, and have been tormenting our Kindred and his brothers for __**years**__, and now they're going to do the same with us!_"

"No, they won't!" I denied, and Arceus narrowed his eyes at me. I could feel moisture stinging my eyes. Never, since the day of his Awakening, had my Ka ever risen his voice to me. Nor I to him. It hurt me to think that we, two parts of the same soul, were actually _arguing_ with one another. "If it's the last thing I do, I'll get us out of here!"

"_**You**__ are the reason we're even __**in here**__ in the first place!_" my Ka roared, furious. I felt pain and guilt stab me right in the heart. I knew that he was speaking out of hurt and fear – we both were – but that didn't make the sting of his words any less intense. "_If you had just listened to your grandfather – to __**me**__ – and __**stayed put**__, none of this would have happened! Is all of this __**really**__ worth finding Yami? A lifetime of torture for us, as well as Ryou and Malik?_"

He didn't say any more than that, because the damage had been done. My hand came to grab at my heart as Arceus allowed his manifestation to fade, and he went to his own little place inside of our soul. For a moment, I considering trying to talk to him again, at least to apologize for shouting, before something _awful_ happened:

I felt Arceus close his side of our Bond. His thoughts and presence cut out, just like that. Completely separating and isolating himself from our Akh. And it was like the collar's effects all over again.

Only this time, it was _voluntary_.

My hand covered my eyes as I tried to keep from breaking, and sobbing my heart out. I ignored the drying dampness of blood on my skin, as the scene of my attacking Kemo replayed in my head, over and over again. I bit my lip so hard it bled, and drew my knees to my chest, hugging them. And though I knew he could not hear me, I silently whispered along my mental connection to Arceus.

_What is this place __**doing**__ to us?_

* * *

**Nickey: Oh, that's right, Yami comes back, and Puzzleshipping really kicks it off... Sorta... :P Then Yuugi snaps, and goes crazy, and GAHHHH! No spoilers for next chapter~! Until next time ladies and gents! * waves * tah tah!**

_Fallen: Not to mention Yuugi kicks some **major** ass! Let me tell you, guys – this was **so much fun** to write, haha! Too bad I'm not very good with writing action-scenes... I'm too descriptive :'D So, some constructive critisism on this would really be appreciated! What can I do to make scenes/chapters like this better and more fun for you guys to read? :)_

_Anyways, on to my note:_

_First off, I'm really sorry for not updating any of my stories as of late, and again for the late update with this one. But, here's the thing; school is only a few months away from ending, so things are getting kind of difficult. I'm a junior in high-school, and I already have to go through credit retreival next year to make sure I'm going to graduate with the rest of my class in 2016. I'm working on getting a license, a job, making plans for my future... that fun stuff. So – surprise, surprise! – it leaves me more than a little drained at the end of the day. And with homework, I don't have anywhere near as much time or motivation to work on my stories as I'd like. I'm **trying** to work on little things, write a surplus of chapters for stories I'm going to be posting in the future, etc., to get things back into motion in raise my activity, but I apologize for not being very active and putting so many stories on-hold._

_I'm going to keep working on **Kindred**, especially, so no worries there, but I apologize in advanced for any late updates in the future._

_Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read this chapter, this note, and this story, in general! Stay safe, everyone! :)_


	11. Breaking Free

**Nickey: Hey there ladies and gents! Welcome back! Again, this chapter has a few repeated moments from last chapter (that will happen a lot) just so you guys and gals can kinda get a view from both perspectives. Don't worry, I do continue on, and it's not all just a repeat of last chapter ^w^ Anyway! I really hope you guys enjoy this story and continue to enjoy it as we keep it coming. ^w^**

_Fallen: Well, after all the craziness from the past few chapters, I think we've **finally** managed to fall back into our previous pattern. An update every-other Monday. So long as we don't forget again, and my laptop decides to be cooperative, we'll hopefully be able to keep it that way! *laughs*_

_By the way – there's a bit of a blood/gore warning for this one, so if you don't like that kinda stuff, have caution. Hope you enjoy the story!_

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**~ Chapter XI ~  
**_

_Breaking Free_

* * *

It'd been two weeks since I'd come back from that damned 'experiment'. Two weeks since I'd come back beaten and nearly broken. And I remember when I woke up... Yuugi had been there...

* * *

_"I'm sorry," my Kindred continued to repeat over and over again. What the hell was he sorry for?_

_Droplets of water continued to hit my face, causing me to blink a few times when I finally did open my eyes. I found myself laying in Yuugi's lap, on my back, looking up at him. His eyes were closed as tears continued to stream down his face, dripping from his cheeks and the end of his nose. _

_"What the hell are you sorry about?" I rasped. I heard a gasp, and Yuugi's eyes opened widely when he saw that I was awake._

_"I-I don't know... Everything?" he answered, sounding almost like he was unsure of his answer, but sorry for something, nonetheless._

_"Being sorry doesn't get you anywhere," I grumbled, moving my head a little to get more comfortable in his lap, "So stop being sorry."_

* * *

By now, my torn and tattered jumpsuit had been replaced by a new one, and (even though I wouldn't say it aloud) if it hadn't been for my Kindred, I wouldn't even be in _half_ as good of shape as I was now. The others helped where they could, given when the brat would actually allow them to get close enough and help tend to me. It was comical watching him intimidate them all to the point they would back off, especially with how small he was. I was beginning to get used to having him around, I felt like I'd found a part of me that went missing a long time ago.

"Morning," I mumbled, not sure if he heard me through my yawn. I felt too tired to really do much of anything, so I just rolled my eyes up to look at the ones I'd been gazing at since I'd come back that day. Just looking at him made a smile begin to pull at my lips.

I held back a chuckle when he grinned back at me. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty," he teased. I shoved him playfully – as much as I was able to, still being a little weak from the beating I'd received – which only caused him to chuckle at my expense. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the floor."

Boy, was _that_ an understatement; but, using his lap as a pillow had made it a little more comfortable. I snorted as I sat up, carefully stretching my arms up to loosen some stiff joints without harming myself even more. "Shuddup." I was happy to have him around and talking to me for once. It seemed like our differences had been set aside, given that I'd probably scared the shit out of him coming back like I did.

He scoffed mockingly, causing me to look over at him. "I can see that _you're_ nice as ever."

I rolled my eyes – I couldn't help it, he was always talking in that sassy way of his, anything to force a smile out of me. "And I can see that _you_ are still a brat," I retorted, my tone a little harsher than I'd meant it to be. I'd meant the 'brat' part, however. But he was _my_ brat. I felt myself softening, only for him, though... I couldn't help but smile everytime he grinned at me, and even when he occasionally mouthed off. _This_ was my Kindred, the other half of myself. And even though we'd been brought up in different ways, we were now in the same predicament.

_Ugh_, I mentally groaned, shifting once more. Yuugi must've sensed my restlessness because he leaned over, and nudged a part of my arm that wasn't injured. He was always careful to avoid any and all injuries that were on me, which was damn near impossible, yet somehow he still managed to do it. I looked over at him and he smiled, he was careful with many things, not just my physical self, but also my mental self. He'd learned just how moody I could get sometimes, but I was pretty sure he knew I _tolerated_ him... to a point, anyway...

"Want to walk around, or something? Loosen up the muscles, and such," he asked. I'd almost forgotten that he'd nudged me.

_Why the hell not?_ I thought to myself. I shrugged, which seemed to surprise him a bit "Sure. Mind helping me up?" The grin that lit up his face was a sight to behold. I found myself holding back yet another chuckle at the look in his eyes.

He got up and was, once again, carefully helping me to my feet, leaving my left arm slung over his shoulder so I could have some type of support. I didn't need the support so much anymore, I was able to walk on my own and everything, but I was still pretty weak. If I had Oscuridad's help, I'd be able to do a lot more on my own. I didn't mind the help, I just- I didn't like being babied.

We walked the perimeter of the entire room, going around the room counterclockwise. I could feel Yuugi was still somewhat hesitant to enter the darker half, and I couldn't blame him. He was a Light Attribute, afterall (though Bakura, Marik and I had started calling the three of them 'Hikaris'. Mostly because it tended to get on their nerves). He lived in the light, while I lived in the shadows. I still didn't understand how two halves of one whole could be so different, yet fit together so perfectly all at the same time.

I paused to wonder when I started thinking like that. When had I begun to act as if... my heart was suddenly coming back from some place far away? Was there a piece returning to me? Or was it simply the presence of my Kindred that made me _feel_ as if it was?

Yuugi's steps faultered, a shiver visibly running up his spine as he stopped, pulling me from my thoughts. What was the matter? And why was he acting as if something was wrong, all of a sudden? "Yuugi?"

I became uneasy when he didn't answer me, only sending a distant stare to the wall on the opposite side of the room instead. "Yuugi?" His eyes suddenly widened, giving me an even more ominous feeling. Just what the hell was going on? "Yuugi?" I moved my arm a little in an attempt to shake him from his stupor, but it had no effect. Welp, looked like I needed more... authoritive means, to bring him back from wherever he was...

"Yuugi!" I snapped, causing him to quickly whip his head around and look at me. I raised a brow as I studied him. "What's the matter with you? I've said your name, like, five times!"

I watched him blink before his face began turning red with embarrassment. "Oh!" He stammered, seeming to be at a loss for words. "S-Sorry, I was just.." He looked up at me once again, studying my face for what felt like a piece of eternity. "I, uh... I spaced off a little-"

It seemed like he had more he wanted to say, but for some odd reason, he stopped short. Something seemed to light up a warning in his eyes. Then it hit me, like a sack of bricks to the face. I felt my body tense as I sensed someone approaching. I nearly jumped when a quiet growl rippled from Yuugi's throat. I'd never heard _that_ kind of a noise from him before. At least... not with it sounding _that_ threatening.

I didn't submit myself, or bow down at the sound of the footsteps outside the door. I stood, tensed and ready for anything. Yuugi drew a step closer to me, and I gripped his arm, steadying us, and readying for the impending danger the two of us were feeling. I watched as Malik and Ryou quickly darted toward our side of the room. Malik ran quickly to Marik's side, however still sticking closely to Ryou, who stopped just short of the darkness that hid us. Bakura was quick to get in front of his Hikari, protecting him from the unknown doom outside our door.

"Morning, boys!" Kemo's voice came from the opened doorway. Yuugi tensed even more, and I noticed his grip tighten around me. "Got a little surprise for a few of you!" He announced, and his hands clapped together, causing our room to light up suddenly. We all flinched – having things go from pitch black, to the highest possible brightness the lights offered – it freaking _burned_.

It took a few seconds and a couple blinks, but I was able to adjust fairly quickly to the sudden brightness that had flooded our room. I cast a glance at Yuugi before looking at Kemo, noticing my Hikari's eyes widen as he stared at the man, before his brows furrowed. The slightest hint of a snarl decorated his face. _Kemo should be careful_, my inner voice thought, sensing Yuugi's anger flow through me.

"So, to make this a lot easier for all of us, I need the freak, the albino, and the blonde to come with me." He motioned towards me, Ryou, and Malik. I felt my own brows furrow. _Yeah, like __**he**__ has any room to call __**me**__ a freak.._

He pulled out a remote, his finger positioned over a few of the buttons that lined it. "Let's go for a little _walk_."

His finger slammed down, and pain shot through me. I quickly hit the ground, writhing in attempts to get away from it. _Damn you, Kemo, you'll fucking pay!_ I growled to myself, my hands attempting to rip away the blasted device that continuously shocked me. Looking over, I found Yuugi and the others in the same position as myself, Kemo prancing closer and looking very pleased with himself. I watched, snarling as he grabbed my Kindred's brothers by the hair, dragging them away from the group, Yuugi letting out a cry as he watched helplessly.

I attempted to see Kemo as I heard his shoes tap across the floor, headed back for me. I couldn't do anything, I couldn't even move. I knew what little of the happiness I'd started to feel would be short-lived... I should've just died when I had the chance... but I wouldn't leave my Kindred. I refused to leave Yuugi. I needed him and he needed me just as bad, I could _feel_ it.

My eyes widened when an arm was flung over me. I looked down, following the arm up and over to see Yuugi glaring daggers at Kemo in a way to say _"back the fuck off!" _and I sensed his anger. He had a possessive need to keep me out of Kemo's grasp. The big idiot simply laughed, a twisted grin plastered on his face as he taunted my Kindred. "Grabby, aren't we? You always like this, kid, or are you just excited?"

I turned to snarl a warning at Kemo and tell him to keep away from Yuugi, only for my head to whip back when I heard the teen spit a mouthy "_bite me"_ at the loser. I could only stare wide-eyed until a hand tangled into Yuugi's spiky hair, ripping him from me.

I managed a strangled yell of protest around the electricity's influence as he was pulled away. "Oh, so that's what you like," Kemo snickered, looking at my Kindred as if he were some kind of snack. _How __**dare **__he look at __**my **__Kindred like that?! Yuugi is __**mine**__!_ I thought with a snarl. "Kinda masochistic, don't you think? Ah, well, I guess we can work that out in a more... _private_ experiment, once Pegasus is finished up with your little fuck-toy and the doppelgangers, here."

"_Sonofa_-!" I growled, my arm snatching ahold of Kemo's wrist. I felt my dull nails break the skin, causing him to recoil. It had the desired effect, though, and he dropped Yuugi before setting his glare towards me. My lips pulled back in a snarl, just as Oscuridad would if he were able to, and I knew my eyes were ablaze with my anger.

"You little-!" He howled, kicking Yuugi to the side before lunging at me. My snarl held until his foot met my ribcage. I unwillingly yelped in pain as his foot met my already-damaged body in multiple, merciless kicks. He kicked me three more times square in the gut before he stopped, which made me look to see what had caused his delay.

I felt myself start to gawk.

Yuugi's hand was wrapped around Kemo's ankle, but that wasn't the thing that had my eyes widening. Yuugi was _snarling_. "Don't you fucking touch them!" he growled, eyes darkening as if to further push his warning into Kemo's thick skull.

The numbskull turned from me, his eyes back on my Kindred, an amused glint to them. If I were able to move when he kicked the smaller one across the room, I would've ripped him to pieces. _"Or what?"_ Kemo asked, once Yuugi fell still.

"I'll make you rue the day you were conceived." My head snapped back to my Kindred, who was slowly raising himself from the ground on trembling limbs. _Where the hell is this coming from?_ Then a second feeling hit me; an impression that the sweet Yuugi was slowly disappearing. I could feel something very sinister starting to come from him.

"Oh, that's a riot!" Kemo continued. I, oddly enough, found myself beginning to feel very sorry for that dim son of a bitch's lack of common sense. "What're you gonna do, _pipsqueak_? Tell your _mommy_? Or, hey, how about your _grandpa_?"

That man... he might as well have signed his death certificate. I watched as Yuugi's mouth opened slightly, his teeth sharpening to bloodthirsty fangs. I tried to keep my eyes on him, until I was ripped up by my scalp. "What, does this little _shrimp_ not want to share his toy?"

I heard a faint clawing noise at the lewd remark, my eyes widening once again as a growl rippled from Yuugi's throat, one that was even more menacing than the last. It sounded more beastly than any sound I'd ever heard him make before. Yuugi's left eye had changed, glowing a strange hue stuck somewhere between white, blue, and violet, with a narrow, serpent-like pupil in the center.

With a quick adjustment, he was suddenly in a pouncing position, and I couldn't help but jump – startled – when a voice that didn't quite belong to _Yuugi_ came from his mouth.

_**"GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS AWAY FROM MY HEART!"**_

I watched as his skin became covered with small, random patches of light blue scales, his fingertips growing claws that I _would not _want to be caught under, and some matching ones sprouting from his feet through his jumpsuit. Yuugi was... H-He was merging.. with his Ka... Bu-But _how_?

I continued watching as a white-blue aura settled over him like a second skin, protecting him as a mother hen would her chicks. It was still just an aura though, not fully Merging, yet blending with his body, all the same.

And, a fraction of a second later, the shock of my collar died out completely. I felt my body go rigid when Kemo stumbled back, and Yuugi was on him in a matter of seconds, ripping him from my side and literally _throwing _him across the room. His Ka was impressively agile and swift; his body appeared slender, more soft, and so very different from Oscuridad's. He leapt over his brothers as they darted back to their Kindred, the five of us huddling into a protective group against the wall. I was more or less dragged and held back, considering I was still frozen from watching Yuugi move. Once we were grouped, I had to peer around my oldest brother to watch everything, as he had placed himself in a defensive stance in front of me.

The old Yuugi was gone, that much was certain. He'd made way for his Ka, and was letting it rip Kemo a new ass. He stood between us, crouched down animalistically, refusing to allow Kemo any closer than the spot where he lay. "_Bastard_," Yuugi spat, "You will not lay another hand on my loved ones! And if you know what's good for you, you'll _get out of my sight_!"

I was silently thanking Ra above that his Ka had been locked away when he first got in here... I'd hate to have that beast pointed towards _me_... A-At least without Oscuridad by my side.

"Get back, _freak_!" Kemo screamed like a girl, pointing a gun towards Yuugi. I held my breath, waiting to see what would happen, not really being able to move just yet. "Get back or I'll kill you, and all your little friends, too! I've got a bullet for each of you!"

It was like a blast of wind started to swirl in the room. Kemo was attempting to summon his own Ka, but it didn't seem like Yuugi was going to give him that chance. He launched forward, and within seconds, his dragon's fangs were sinking into Kemo's arm. Blood squirted from the wound, and a stomach turning _snap_ echoing through the air as his arm was broken. Yuugi slammed him across the room a second time, sticking him in the back with the spikes that sprouted from his Ka's tail.

Once again, he placed himself between us and the threat that was slowly being neutralized. Kemo whipped out his walkie, screeching for backup. "_Someone get down here! This freak is fucking insane-__**agh**_!" The tail had swept for him, knocking the device from his hands, and shattering it against the ground. Then Kemo tried his hardest to get to the pistol that had been dropped. Yuugi, however, wasn't giving him a chance to defend himself. He ripped into Kemo like a dog into a steak. His fangs, claws, and tail assaulted him, while he constantly flung and slammed him to the ground. His suit ended up shredded, soaked with his own blood, just like the floor.

When he finally pinned Kemo down, I gulped as Yuugi gave a toothy smirk, chuckling lowly. "What's the matter, _dog_? Didn't your precious _Master_ tell you to not mess with a dragon's treasures? I'd expect that someone like _you_ should know not to fuck with what they see as precious." That wasn't Yuugi's voice, though it was in there, somewhere. It was overlapped by his Ka's own timbre.

"I wonder how long it'll take for you to feel sorry for hurting my loved ones," the two of them continued. "Should we have a more _private experiment_ to test that? I'll _gladly_ give you a little taste of what that _fucker_ you call a boss did to my Kindred!" I held back a chuckle, but couldn't deny the spark that went through my eyes at the way my Kindred was treating Kemo. I wouldn't say it out loud, but it was kind of a turn-on when he lifted his claws over the big brute's throat, his voice rumbling. _"Feeling sorry yet_?"

Yuugi lowered his head closer to Kemo, whispering something I wasn't able to hear, but it looked to be a threat, considering how Kemo almost shit his pants when he finished talking.

The door was flung to the side by Kemo's reinforcements. My mouth fell open when Yuugi stood, and picked him up like he weighed little-to-nothing, and chucked him at the men and women that had just opened the door. He straightened up as if it were nothing, and I couldn't help but stare at him. His Ka made him shimmer with even more beauty than before. It was a dangerous kind, but it was beauty, all the same.

"_Get out_," the beast snapped at the intruders.

I watched when a man – the man who was obviously an idiot – turned and charged in towards Yuugi (apparently not taking a hint from the shape Kemo was in). "_You fucking __**monster**_!" He roared, to which Yuugi's Ka responded with a hiss before slicing his talons across his face.

The five of us jumped slightly when gunfire was heard, bringing Yuugi to his hands and knees as the aura evaportated. A calmer set of feet began to enter the room. "_Pegasus_," my Kindred snarled, attempting to claw at the man, but he moved out of the way, kicking Yuugi in the chest, and bringing him to the floor.

"Take this _thing_ to the isolation room, and make preparations for another, more durable collar for it. Put no limits on the collar's electrical shock – use lethal force if necessary once it's on." My eyes focused more on Pegasus, and I suddenly realized something... I could feel Oscuridad... Looking over I noticed all the red lights of our collars were out... However, they were so focused on Yuugi, no-one seemed to notice.

_Let's rip him to pieces_, Oscuridad grumbled, obviously pissed with how they were treating Yuugi.

_We can't, not yet. We'll just end up in the same position he's in now. Be patient, and let's be smart about this._

I could feel Oscuridad's restlessness – he was practically pacing in the safety of our Soul Room. He was ready to rip these men apart, but would wait until I told him to.

"Take Mister Kemo to the infirmary at once." Pegasus continued, "Also... I think this _mutt_ deserves a muzzle. Have one fashioned."

"Yes, sir," was the resounding echo in the room, the rest of us playing smart and staying away as we watched the scene ahead of us.

"Get your fucking hands off me!" Yuugi snapped, thrashing his body around and slamming the guards into the doorway. "_Pegasus_, you goddamn _coward_! You'll be the one needing a muzzle to _keep your fucking jaw on your head _when I'm finished with you!"

The butt of a gun was slammed into the back of Yuugi's skull, and I knew he'd be feeling that one for awhile. "_Let go of me_!" He screamed, thrashing once again and successfully slamming two guards into the wall. But another hit to the head made him go limp. They were practically carrying him when they exited the room. His brothers watched with tears streaming down their faces.

"YUUGI!" The two screeched once the spell of fear had lifted, running across the room. My brothers were on their heels, comforting them, while I simply looked at my hands, a dark chuckle ripping from my throat.

The other four of the room snapped their heads around to look at me, my eyes hidden behind my bangs as I stared down.

"I'm glad you find this so funny!" Malik snapped at me.

"Oh, no... I find the revenge that's coming funny," I growled, lifting my head with a sharp-toothed grin. "Because thanks to whatever Yuugi did, Oscuridad's back."

My hands tensed before sprouting razor sharp talons, my fists becoming covered in thick scales, promising destruction no matter what the barrier. "How's the noise outside?"

Ryou seemed to be the only one that caught onto what I was asking, as he got up and pressed his ear against the door. "I don't hear anything anymore."

"Good. Then move. We're going to get the brat, and get the hell outta this place."

I walked forward slowly, Oscuridad's aura settling around me ominously; more scales began to settle around my body, my skin tingling wherever they lay. My feet were the next to change, claws that matched my hands sprouted from my feet, my feet themselves shifting to look like my dragon's before covering themselves with thick scales as well. Unlike Yuugi, I made my Ka's body materialize, not his aura, and Oscuridad liked it that way, so it was his actual paws, his actual teeth, and his actual tail that sent those bastards straight to hell.

_Stop there for now, Oscuridad._

_Alright, but I'm using one of your eyes. The minute things start to look bad, I'm taking more control._

_And I'll happily hand it over. I want them to pay._

_Your orders if things get nasty?_ He practically purred through my head, wanting to hear me give the order to rip them to shreds. His mouth already watering as his tail flicked back and forth.

_Kill them._ I growled loudly, letting him know I didn't need a second thought. These bastards would pay for everything, including calling my Kindred a mutt. _And if you see Pegasus, make sure you get him._

_As you wish. I'll rip that son of a bitch limb from limb._ He chuckled, his red eyes flashing with desire.

_I've missed you, 'Scuri._

_And I, you, Yami._

"_Let's go get our Kindred_," I growl aloud in my own voice, my left eye tingling as it lit up red, a narrow black pupil appearing within it.

"_Right!_" Oscuridad barked, his voice mingling with mine.

I walked over to the door, the others backing to either side as they watched me, their eyes wide and curious. I stopped with my left foot out, pulling my right fist back as I braced myself and put all my weight into that fist. I felt the spikes shoot from the back of my head as I slammed forward, Oscuridad wanting to let them all know he'd returned, and they were going to pay. My face began to change after I blasted the door off it's hinges, a manical chuckle rippling from my throat as a muzzle elongated from my face, scales covering it so it was now Oscuridad's face. He sucked in a deep breath and released a mighty roar, loud enough to blow out the light that was above us.

An alarm went off, setting off a bunch of red lights that lined the wall, that I had never noticed before. Oscuridad gave me back all but my left eye, just in time for my brother's hand to come down on the back of my head. "You idiot!" he hissed, "Now we're gonna be busted!"

"No we're not. Let's go. I _want_ them to come."

We ran down the hallway in the direction they'd taken my Kindred. Oscuridad had all his senses peaked, and was tracking down our Kindred like a bloodhound would an escaped prisoner.

_To the left! He's in that room_, he said after we'd traveled several meters down the hallway.

I heard voices inside, two unfamiliar, and one belonging to Yuugi. It sounded like he was struggling to stay away from someone. I growled loudly before slamming my fist into the door, using Oscuridad's strength to blow it off the hinges like the last one. To say my Ka was _pissed_ was an understatement. Yuugi was strapped down to an operation table, and they were attempting to take off the old collar, and get the new one on him. My Kindred was having no part of that though.

The 'they' was now only one scientist, which had recently been two. If the blood splatters on the wall behind the disconnected door were anything to go by, I'd say Oscuridad had killed him. Speaking of Oscuridad, I felt the spikes once again shooting from the back of my head as he changed my face once again. I allowed him to take control, to leap up, covering the restrained body of our Kindred and glaring daggers at the scientist holding the new collar.

"St-St-Stay back!" the man stuttered, obviously about to have a heart attack from the sight.

Oscuridad's wings shot from my back, his tail running out of my tailbone and looping around Yuugi protectively. The only thing still human about me was my body, arms, and legs. But that's what happens when a dragon's prized possession is threatened or taken away. His lips rippled back as he looked at the man "_How dare you touch what is __**mine**__!" _He snarled, his anger making him even more threatening.

I felt my leg scoot back an inch before we leapt forward, fangs sinking into the man's neck, while talons slashed at his body. I twisted and slammed him to the wall on the opposite side, blood splattering everywhere.

We walked to the bed, ripping Yuugi free of his restraints before Oscuridad released his hold, giving me back all but my hands and feet, and leaving his tail out, just for safe measures. "Are you two okay?"

"We-We're fine... I guess," he said, a little unsure. It looked as if something were bothering him, like he were hurt mentally.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he sighed, but I didn't believe that. Everything on his face read that something was wrong.

"Yuugi. _What's wrong_?" I somewhat-growled, letting him know I wasn't letting this go.

"Look, we really don't have time for this," Yuugi said, standing from the bed, "How did you guys get out, anyways?"

"You shorted out all our collars somehow. Now we're gonna escape. I think ten years in this hell hole is long enough." I turned to look at my brothers, waiting to hear their thoughts. "I dunno about you guys, but I'm ready to be free again."

"I believe we've been here long enough," Bakura sighed, rubbing his neck while attempting to pop it.

"Me too. Let's get the hell outta here!" Marik agreed.

I noticed Yuugi's eyes were wide as he stared at me, though I didn't understand why. "You ready to go?"

He managed a weak nod with a stammered, "Y-Yeah!" and then we were gone.

We ran down the hallways, not really sure on where we were going. I skid to a halt when a large group of men and women with guns and tranqualizers stood in front of us. I heard Yuugi growl, but I wouldn't let him step in, as I showed him by holding my arm in front of him. Oscuridad had his orders, and he knew them well. My body glowed with a black hue as my Ka covered me with his armor, ensuring my safety. His wings shot out once again as I began to walk forward, and the toothy grin that covered my face would've been enough to make a grown man whimper in fear.

_"Out of my way you damned fools._" Oscuridad growled in warning. He wasn't about to play any games, he was ready to be free.

"Freeze, right there. Don't move, or we'll shoot."

_"Shoot all you like! I __**dare**__ you! I'll have you all slaughtered before a single bullet is fired!"_

A man's finger twitched, and I was able to see it with my Ka's improved vision. So we launched forward, our claws digging into every single one of them, the spikes on our wings catching a few, fangs sinking into countless necks, and spikes shooting from our tail to take out the rest. Only one was left standing, and I had done that on purpose. My talons wrapped around his throat, pushing him against the wall with a growl. "Which way out of here?"

"Fuck you!" the man spat, and I couldn't help but grin.

"_I was secretly hoping you'd say that_," I chuckled darkly, whipping around quick enough to break his neck and slam him to the other wall. I was pretty sure the smile that split my face in half was terrifying, but with the satisfaction I felt from killing him, I had to smile.

I looked down, admiring the crimson liquid that dripped from our talons.

"Y-Yami?" Yuugi asked shakily, his eyes wide with a terrified gaze. He gasped, taken aback when I turned my eyes on him. "Yami..."

"I'm fine" I assured him.

"Y-You just... You just m-murdered a bunch of people..."

"They got what they deserved. Every last one of them deserves to be killed, ruthelessly. It's not like they've ever showed us any compassion. They locked us away and murdered our loved ones! _You're_ a damn _fool_ if you think a single one of the bastards deserves to be spared."

His head jerked back, as if he'd just been slapped in the face. His eyes widened as if he'd just realized something, then they lowered to the floor. His hand reached up and grabbed the fabric of his jumpsuit over his heart. I could feel his mental pain, the torture that he was going through.

I decided now wasn't the time for questions, I'd leave his inner turmoil for him to deal with. "Let's go," I ordered, turning on my heel and walking away, Oscuridad's tail swaying from side to side behind me.

We walked down the hallways, not really knowing where to go considering we were either unconcious or blindfolded when we were brought in. "Does anyone even know where we are?" Malik whined behind me, seemingly annoyed with our constant circles.

"No clue," I admitted with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Y-Y... You're fucking leading us!" The blonde yelped, stomping his foot at me.

"You should stop being so loud before you attract unwanted attention," I grumbled back, my eyes half-lidded in annoyance.

"He has a good point," I hear my Kindred agree.

I caught Malik slapping his hand over his own mouth with wide eyes out of the corner of my eye, causing me to chuckle.

We continued down the hallway, still not sure of where we were going, but realizing we needed to find someone to lead us around. It was then that I heard foot steps headed our way, I pushed everyone to the side of the wall, shooting a spike from Oscuridad's tail to take out the light above us. Sending us into complete darkness. I remembered then that Yuugi's brother was claustrophobic. I turned to look at him and noticed he was starting to hyperventilate, so I rounded, placing my hand over his mouth to get his full attention. "It's only for a second. There's someone approaching, so I need you to be quiet."

Ryou nodded his head in understanding, burying his face in Bakura's shoulder after I released him. I watched as the girl who brought us our meals came around the corner, looking very lost. The glint that sparked in my eye was no surprise though, I'd hated her fake ass smile from the beginning, and every day she just got more and more on my nerves. Now was the time for payback..

I launched forward, causing her to squeak before my hand cut off any way of conversation, slamming her against the wall behind her. "Shut your fucking mouth. One word, and I'll kill you on the spot. Is that understood?"

She nodded her head vigorously, her eyes wide but not a single sound coming from her except the small gasps of air through her nostrils.

"You attempt to Merge with your Ka, and I'll trample you. Got it?!"

Again she nodded, knowing full well I meant every word I'd said.

"Now, get us out of here" I growled, releasing her.

"I-I dunno how.."

"You work here!"

"I only work in the lower levels... I-I'm s-sorry... I-I don't h-have a card to get to the t-top floor."

I smashed my fist into the wall beside her head, causing her to yelp and quickly cover her own mouth.

"I-I th-think I-I know som-someone wh-who can he-lp though.."

"You'd better not lead me to a trap. Or I'll merge with my Ka, and smash you like a fucking bug!" I growled, my talons scraping the wall to further press my point.

"I-I won't.. I-I pro-omise.. I-I want to help y-you escape.."

"Back off, my Kindred is right there, and I'm not interested.."

She rolled her eyes before turning back down the hallway where she'd come from.

"I don't think she liked what I said..." I mumbled, looking over at Yuugi.

Yuugi looked up at me with a bored expression before his hand shot up to grab my ear. "C'mon you idiot," he grumbled, dragging me along.

* * *

We followed her for what felt like forever before coming to a cross between hallways.

"You fucking idiots!" I heard someone snarl after I walked in front of the hallway to my left. Turning to look all I caught was a white and blue blur before I was tackled to the ground.

Oscuridad took control, snarling at whoever had just ambushed me. "Calm down you fucking 'tard. It's just me."

"Seto!?" I yelped, standing back up before helping him back on his feet.

"Yeah me! You're a fucking moron! Everyone is on high alert now!"

"Not our fault. When opportunity arises you take the chance, do you not?"

Seto gaped at me like a fish, unable to believe what he'd just heard. "Th-That... That's not the fucking point! I told you I'd get you outta here-"

"Then do it now. We don't have any fucking clue where we're going. And that pansy over there is no help at all," I growled, motioning to the other brunette.

"You kidnapped a girl..." He sighed, his hand going up to slap himself in the forehead. "What am I going to do with you?"

"You can start with getting me outta here. That'd be a very cousin-ly thing to do.."

"I hate you... Have I told you _that_ lately? I _fucking_ hate you..."

"You've mentioned it once or twice..." I looked over with a smirk when I heard my Kindred snicker at my words.

"_Please_ don't encourage him," Seto sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Alright, I'll get you guys out. But you owe me!"

"I always owe you," I whined.

"And you'll continue to owe me."

I sighed, rolling my eyes, there really was no point to argue with him. "Alright. Fine. Let's go."

The eight of us set off, Seto leading the way. We went down countless hallways, through a door that required an ID card, which Seto thankfully had. Not that I couldn't have just blown the door off if we had found it before he found us. After going through the door there was a stairway we had to climb, and once we reached the top I was sure we were at least getting close to _some_ sort of exit.

We rounded a corner only to have to quickly back up once again. I took a protective stance in front of Yuugi, not wanting anything else to happen to him. Around the corner to our right sat the exit – indicated by the sign above the door with bright red letters that read '_EXIT_' over it. Just below the sign though, sat a large group of armed guards, ten – that I counted – were Merged in some way with their Ka. Pegasus was still nowhere to be found, and I could only assume that beyond that door were more guards.

Our only choice was to take out the ones inside before going out those doors. Otherwise we would be surrounded, outnumbered, and recaptured. I looked at our surroundings, and only then did I realize just how big the entrance to this place was. It was apparently made for Ka to run around freely. The ceiling was huge! I could barely see the top of it. Not only that, but the glass that surrounded the place looked really durable; even the walkway that was towards the back of the room looked like it could take a beating.

"Seto," I whispered, nudging him with a shoulder.

"Yeah?" He whispered back, glancing over his own to look at me.

"By your calculations, and my growth; you think Oscuridad could fit in this entrance room? _Without_ busting out any walls?"

"Ultimate can walk through here easily..." He mumbled to himself, referring to his own Ka, which was much larger than my own. "What are you talking about, of course he – wait, what the hell are you thinking?"

"Sorry, but I don't feel like having my throat burned out by a fireball. Just stay here, I've got this..."

"N-No, Yami, let me do it!"

"No, I need you to handle the guards outside so we can get away. If you give yourself away in here, we won't stand a chance."

"Then be careful!"

"Relax, I'm fine. Oscuridad, let's go!"

A deep chuckle that sounded like more of a growl rumbled from my throat as the parts of my Ka came back into place. The scaled armor traveled all the way up my arms, covering my shoulders, spikes went out the back of my shoulders, neck and along my spine. Spikes shot from the back of my head as my jaw elongated to that of a dragon's muzzle, my nose changing to nostrils at the end of the snout. I felt myself sinking as Oscuridad took control, groaning as I once again fell forward on my hands and knees. My body grew to the size of my Ka, the charcoal-colored, scale-plated armor covering me once again as we rounded the corner.

Oscuridad pushed his chest out, making him appear bigger, and allowing the set of scales on his chest to glimmer gold in the light. I watched him huff in a bunch of air before opening his mouth, a large fireball waiting to be let go. The ones that weren't transformed stood there, wide eyed as they took in the sight of my beast. Oscuridad wasn't a creature to be fucked with, and they were about to learn why.

_Let it go, Os'!_

_**ROOOOAAAARRRR!**_He howled, lowering his head and blasting the fireball forward towards the group. His head recoiled a bit from the shock of the blast, but he'd ended up setting fire to where the group once stood. Only five of them made it out of the way on time. Oscuridad took care of them quickly though, shooting spikes from the tip of his tail and impaling them before they could react.

_'Scuri! Behind you!_

Oscuridad turned his head, smoke billowing from his nostrils, and his throat burning as another fireball came to surface. The guards that were stationed on the walkway were too close for him to miss. He opened his mouth and once again let them have it. While the walkway only lost a chunk from it's structure, the guards were nothing but charred remains of human ash.

My Ka released control back to me and I slowly shrank back down with a black cloud as Oscuridad's body disappeared. I panted, attempting to catch my breath as I regained control. "Damn... Didn't realize how much energy that would take," I gasped, clutching my jumpsuit where it covered my chest.

"Yami!" Yuugi said quietly, quickly getting to my side to mother me once again. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just not used to that," I grunted, standing back up. "Ready?"

"Yep. Let's go. I'll handle the guards, you guys get the hell outta here!" Seto ordered us.

"Right!" the six of us agreed simultaneously, the girl just stood there, gaping like a fish.

Blood and burned bodies covered the exit, but we made it past them, our Kindred and hostage, seemingly haunted by the sight, but deciding to ignore it for now.

Seto and I exchanged looks as we reached the double doors, and I understood his silent conversation, as did Oscuridad. My body was covered with armor, my chest – had it been uncovered – would have revealed a golden patch of scales over the empty space where my heart once sat. It was my job to protect the others long enough to escape this place, and even though Seto is going to take them all on, it was still my duty to take out anyone who approached us directly.

"Let's do this," Seto growled, white scales beginning to sprout as Cerberus took over his body, and they stepped out of the double doors. I shoved the door open and shielded the others with Oscuridad's wings as they extended from my back once again.

At least fifty men and women surrounded us, but they were no match for Ultimate – he had _three_ _heads_ for fuck's sake! "_GO!_" he roared, and we all took off, Oscuridad being our shield as we ran forward.

* * *

**Nickey: That's right, that's where I'm cutting it off XD You take it from here Fallen! ^w^ And I know you'll kick ass next chapter :) Also! I think you guys should give Fallen here a round of applause, simply because she has been kicking ass and taking names with these past few chapters (we're actually ahead by like 3-4 chapters) She writes the evens, she edits the hell outta the odds (though not as much as she had to the first one XD) But! She's amazing. And on top of all that she still manages to get her own personal crap done. [Sorry Fallen, I made you the center of attention XD] Until next time ladies and gents! And don't forget to leave us a review on your way out! * waves * goodbye!**

_Fallen: *flustered* It's not like you don't contribute a hell-of-a-lot to this story, yourself, Nickey! She's come up with a **lot** of the major scenes coming up in the next couple of chapters, and beyond. I just work off of those to flesh out some scenes to write out. Also – need I mention that she has not only drawn the cover-image for this story, but she's also made models for several characters in **Kindred** in the program Miku Miku Dance? Even Arceus and Oscuridad! And let me tell ya, those things are freaking **epic**. She's also making a little (big) video to test them out, and make a mock-trailer for this story in Windows Movie Maker. (Here, you can have your spotlight back XD)_

_Alright, well, we'll see you guys in two weeks with the next chapter! Thanks for reading! :)_

* * *

_**Please leave us a review, and tell us what you think? :D**  
_


	12. Flight For Freedom

**Nickey: WELCOME BACK, BITCHES! Lol, I'm terrible, I know, but! I don't care. So, Fallen, I'm pretty damn excited for the future chapters, so excited in fact, that I keep to forgetting to add my A/N to previous chapters XD I'm getting the some-timers that are going around, I swear.. (still working on that freaking video, by the way... XD) ANYWAY! This is goofy's chapter... Um, yeah, I'm name calling now... Be glad I'm out of my hole, and put the shovel back... Just as usual, evens are hers, odds are mine. So, all that being said, hope you all enjoy the chapter, I rather like this one, and again, some parts are repeated, but from Yuugi's POV ^w^ Oh! I almost forgot! Fallen, we are up to 60+ reviews on this story... Not too shabby for being 12 chapters in :)**

_Fallen: Wow, over sixty reviews already? Definitely not! Thank you **so** much, everyone, for giving Nickey and I's story so much positive feedback! I know I don't reply to reviews so often, and I promise I'm trying to kick that particular habit, but I **promise** that I am reading and absolutely adoring every single one of them! (Also, be glad I didn't just nope the fuck outta here because a giant-ass spider just decided to strut his merry fucking way out from underneath my laptop while I was typing this out and I do not feel safe anymore) So... sorry again for such a late update... my laptop is on hiatus, and it wouldn't let Dropbox sync up the shared files Nickey and I have, so I couldn't edit/revise (again), add in my own A/N and whatnot for a little while there._

_**Enjoy the chapter!**_

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**~ Chapter XII ~  
**_

_Flight For Freedom_

* * *

I don't know how long I was stuck in there for. It could have been minutes, hours, days... And I didn't care. I couldn't focus on... _anything_, really. Only the facts that, one: I'd nearly killed someone; two: my Ka and I had just fought for the first time _ever_; and three: Arceus had severed any and all means of contact between the two of us at his own, free will. Gods above, it hurt to know that. I just wished that Pegasus would come down here and put me out of my misery.

Not even a full ten seconds later, the door slid open, and I went to shield my eyes as a shaft of bright light from outside blinded me, a headache splitting my skull within moments. Slowly, I lowered my arm, the tranquilizers' effects making my movements lethargic. Glancing up, I took in the figures of two male scientists, donned in _painfully_ cliched lab coats, surgical masks, and latex gloves. What I could see of their faces were crinkled with what could only be disgust as they surveyed me, and I blinked at them tiredly, before glancing down at myself. I had to swallow the bile that rose in my throat as I inspected my arms, legs, torso, and so on. My clothes were stained rust-red in dried blood, with several rips where Arceus' scales and claws had torn through the jumpsuit's fabric. It looked like someone had tried to tie-dye my jumpsuit in red, but they'd failed miserably.

The lights were turned on, and what I had previously thought to be an empty room turned out to... well, _not_ be empty. There was an operating table with restraints built in at several places, a small sink and counter in the back, and a tray with random tools laying on it. The men came up to where I was sitting, and their hands grabbed me by the arms. "Eh...?" My drugged mind couldn't comprehend why they were there, observing me, touching me, and more or less carrying me over to the table; my legs weren't offering much help with the whole _walking_ thing. My head bobbed tiredly as my frazzled nerves tried their best to fight away the sedative in my system.

I didn't bother struggling as a gloved hand pushed against my chest, and I laid back without resistance. _W... Wait... _I thought absently, eyes slipping shut, _Something is... isn't right..._ I felt an arm being pulled to the side, and an irritated noise left me at the disturbance. I didn't try to pull away, though. Honestly I just wanted to go and take a nap...

_What... W-What are they doing...?_

My head finally caught up with my situation as the quiet _snap_ of metal closed over my wrist. My eyes flew open with the _very_ intelligent response of "_oh __**shit**_" as I tried to sit up.

"No no no, you lay back down!" one of the men said sharply, and I _finally_ started to put up a fight as two pairs of hands tried to hold me still. I felt fingers close over my ankles, and I kicked wildly without thought at the one grabbing them, trying to hold back and swipe at the second with my free arm. I felt satisfaction spark as I felt a face beneath my foot, and the responding crunch of the scientist's nose against my heel.

"Shit!" he howled, and his associate growled. I was stunned as he forced me back, and my head met with the table, yelping in pain.

"Get off!" I spat at them, straining as they both went straight for my legs. "No! _Leave me alone_!" Metal closed over my ankles, above my knees, and my one free arm was easily caught, before following suit. "_Go away_!"

I gasped against my will as, suddenly, a red light began to flash in the room, and a siren-like alarm blared from an unseen speaker. I heard them both curse, and a final restraint was closed over my waistline. Rendering me completely helpless.

_Arceus!_ I mentally screamed, praying beyond all hope that he'd hear me, _Arceus, please!_

"Get the collar," the man with a bloody, most-likely-broken nose spat at his partner while trying to nurse his injury at the same time, "Let's get this freak under control, already!"

I felt cold, latex-covered hands reach out to my throat, and I thrashed in place against my confinements as the second came closer with a new, functioning collar in his hands. It looked larger, more durable, with an even greater amount of large spikes lining its inner rim. I felt pain grip my throat as hands fiddled with my malfunctioning collar, my feeble struggling only digging its spikes deeper into my skin. "Arceus, help me!" I cried, "_Please_! _They're hurting me_! _**Arceus**_!"

_He can't hear me. Oh Gods, he can't hear me!_

Either that, or he didn't care. I felt tears start to rise.

"Get away from me, dammit!" I warned, glaring at them despite the panic and terror and tears, "Touch me and he'll kill you! He _will_!"

They paused at that, blinking owlishly. I growled in frustration when they started to laugh. "Sorry, kid, but it looks like your Ka knows a lost cause when they see it!"

"My Kindred's gonna be the one that kills you, not my Ka," I assured them. A hand drew close, and, not thinking, I bit it. _Hard_. I tasted blood. The man shouted in pain, and drew back. The sirens were grating at my ears. The lights sending my senses haywire. The panic overwhelming my mind and body. And through it all, Arceus couldn't hear me. So I called for the one person I hoped would listen.

"_Yami_!"

Something shot past my head, and a sickeningly wet noise caught somewhere between a squelch and a crackle filled my ears. I tried to look up as one of the men (_Where did the other one go ?_) whipped around to face the door. Or... well, where the door _used_ to be. And there, standing in the doorway, was my Kindred. Wrapped in an outline of white-and-red lights like an angel, but with the appearance of a demon. I saw him snarl, teeth now dagger-sharp, one eye appearing to be a more... vibrant shade of red than the other. The pupil was slitted, like a...

_Like a dragon's_, I thought in awe.

"St-St-Stay back!" the scientist cried, hands clutching around my new, would-be collar, had he gotten the chance to put it on me. I gawked as black, spike-like protrusions shot from Yami's head and body, a tail sprouting from his spine, and large, leathery wings emerging from his back as he darted towards us. Dark patches of armored scales were creeping over his skin, and I felt that serrated tail curl over the outline of my held-down body in a possessive, but protective kind of way.

A deep, almost _demonic_ sounding voice ripped from Yami's throat in a snarl, overlapping with his usual timbre. And I knew that this was an entirely different side to my Kindred that I had never seen before. This was his _Ka_ doing the talking. "_How dare you touch what is **mine**_!" came the snarl. A clawed foot shifted back, and I forced myself to look away as my Sheut and Ib lauched forward, trying my best (and failing miserably) to block out the sounds of screams and growling and the ripping of bloody flesh. I held back a shiver at my own assault on Kemo flashed to mind, slightly repulsed by the brief spark of self-satisfaction I felt.

"Yuugi!" I heard someone – two someones, actually – cry out in unison. I grunted as Ryou and Malik practically flung themselves on top of me in an attempted hug. Unfortunately, my restraints weren't making things very simple. I gave them a weak smile as they pulled away, ignoring the pounding in my head and the pain in my heart when met with tear-filled brown and purple eyes. "We were so worried about you!" Ryou whimpered, wiping away the moisture as Malik began to inspect the metal bonds keeping me on the table. "I'd thought for sure... w-with the way they'd dragged you away..."

He shook his head, as if to clear away the bad thoughts. "I'm just glad you're okay!"

Yami came back after that, and I did my best to avoid looking at the red that now painted various surfaces, his skin included. I blinked absentmindedly up at him as long, wicked talons slipped between skin and steel, and wrenched them away with an ear-grinding squeal and a strong jerk of his arm. When my arms and waist were free, I sat up, rubbing at my wrists, trying to ease away the discomfort. One leg was freed, then the other, and I swung them over the side of the table as Yami came back up to me.

I looked at him, breathing a little heavier than normal, one eye with an ovular pupil, and a black, scaly, spiked tail swishing from his backside attentively. It seemed that – for the most part, at least – his Ka had released their hold over the pair's Akh. "Are you two okay?" Yami asked, and though I was silently touched by his concern, a part of me ached at the mention of '_you two_'.

"We-We're fine..." I murmured. I _kind of_ was, anyways. Not so sure about Arceus, considering the jerk had isolated himself from me. Willingly. And not talking – probably not even able to feel what had happened to our shared body at this point. Or maybe he just didn't care. "I guess."

He tilted his head to the side, ever-so-slightly. "What's wrong?" he half-asked, half-demanded. I bit the inside of my cheek. I didn't want to burden him with such a trivial little thing...

"Nothing," I sighed quietly. I saw disbelief, maybe even a flash of aggravation, rise on his face.

"Yuugi," he growled quietly, the seriousness in his tone making me feel a tad antsy, like I was being interrogated, "_What's wrong_?"

I sighed sharply, just wanting to move on from the subject. "Look," I huffed, standing, "we really don't have time for this. How did you guys get out, anyways?"

"You shorted out all our collars somehow. Now we're gonna escape." He turned to look at Marik and Bakura, and I felt my eyes widen in shock at his next comment. "I think ten years in this hell hole is long enough. I dunno about you guys, but I'm ready to be free again."

As they murmured their agreements, I could only stare at my Kindred. _Ten years? They've been stuck in here, facing all of this torture... for __**ten years**__?_

How could they have managed to survive this long? Let alone with their sanity _intact_?

"Ready to go?" my Sheut said, glancing at me. I blinked, managing a quiet "Y-Yeah!" before we took off down the halls. But, a few rounded corners later, we came across a large group of gun-toting men and women. Because, _of course_, we just couldn't seem to get off easy on this.

I growled quietly in a mixture of annoyance and frustration. _Oh, for the love of-! You have **got** to be kidding me!_

I blinked when Yami put his arm out in front of me, as if to keep me back. I looked at him in befuddlement, unable to help the shiver I felt roll down my spine at the... the _gleam_ I saw in his shared eyes. There was a thirst for blood and vengeance within them. A deep, black aura began to seep out of his skin and settle over his body, taking the form of onyx scales. There was a cracking noise, and the sound of pulling flesh as his Ka's wings sprouting from his spine while he advanced, bone and muscle and skin morphing easily to form and accommodate the new appendages.

The smirk on his black-scaled face made my breath catch in fright.

"_Out of my way you damned fools_," the spirit-monster snarled, Yami's voice nonexistent below its deep rumble. A guard steadied himself, speaking with a surprisingly collected tone of voice.

"Freeze, right there. Don't move, or we'll shoot."

That grin twisted into a larger sneer. "_Shoot all you like_! _I __**dare**__ you_!" the voice taunted, "_I'll have you all slaughtered before a single bullet is fired_!"

With the twitch of a finger, something snapped, and before I could even register what was happening, my Kindred's Akh had shot forward with lethal velocity. Screams and tearing meat filled the air with a revolting cacophony as Yami's body ripped into every last person it could reach. Claws, fangs, spikes – it didn't seem to matter to them. All they wanted to do was to make them suffer. I noticed that Marik and Bakura had stepped in front of my brothers, forcing them to look away from the carnage I so openly gaped at. In minutes, there was only one man left, shaking in his combat boots, gun having been thrown to the side while he froze like a deer in the headlights.

Talons shot forward, and I flinched back when they clamped around the guard's throat. He was shoved up against the wall.

"Which way out of here?" Yami hissed.

"Fuck you!"

There was a grin, and I knew that this man had just sealed his fate. A deep, dark chuckle, rolling like thunder as his Ka stepped in to speak again. "_I was secretly hoping you'd say that_." I forced myself to look away then. A second later, I heard a loud impact and something snapped before dead weight crumpled to the floor. When I looked back at him, he was surveying the blood that dripped from his claws, as if inspecting a fine wine that had pooled into his hands.

I swallowed, doing my best to not shake, and quietly called his attention. "Y-Yami?" He turned to me, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the ferocious, almost _beastly_ glint I saw in his ruby eyes. Was this still... Was I speaking to my bullheaded, short-tempered _Sheut_, or the _Ib_ that had relished in the bloodbath he had caused moments before? "Yami..."

He assured me that he was "fine", but that wasn't what had me wanting to tremble and collapse onto the floor. Had... Had they _enjoyed_ that? Killing all of those people? The halls were spattered in bodies and gore, his stained clothing making my supposed other half look like the antagonist of a little-known slasher film. "Y-You just..." I swallowed, and tried again when my voice faltered, "You just m-murdered a bunch of people..."

His gaze hardened at my words, and his expression soured, as if he had just eaten something rotten. "They got what they deserved," he snorted without care, "Every last one of them deserves to be killed ruthlessly. It's not like they showed us any compassion. They locked us away and murdered our loved ones!" I recoiled some as his words seemed to echo those my Ka had hissed to me back in the operation room. "_You're_ a damn _fool_ if you think a single one of the bastards deserves to be spared."

I jerked back, feeling as if I'd just been struck across the face. I stared in shock as that little void within my heart gave a throb, and my hand habitually came to clutch the fabric that covered that spot on my chest. Hurt and conflict filled me.

And all Yami did was turn on his heel and stalk away, ordering the rest of us forth, as his Ka's reptilian tail swayed without a care behind him.

* * *

"_GO_!"

I ducked behind the protective, leathery membrane of my Ib's – I think Yami called it by the name 'Oscuridad'? – wing as we dashed into the through the fray. A powerful static made the hair on my arms and neck bristle, and I tried my damnedest to not freeze up and cower in fear at the resounding, triple-toned shriek that ripped through the air seconds after. We seemed to be in a parking garage, of sorts, if the many company-owned vans and personal vehicles were anything to go by. The brunette-haired woman beside me stumbled, and on reflex, I gripped her by the wrist, and dragged her forward so she would stay on her feet. She sent me a semi-grateful look.

_In less than a day, I've been electrocuted, mauled someone half-to-death, got in a fight with Arceus, became an accomplice to murder and kidnapping, and now we're in the middle of a prison break_, I rambled to myself in exasperation, the stress of it all finally starting to come over me, _Gods, this is **not** how I pictured things being after I found my Kindred!_ I ducked when something whizzed through the air, headed straight for my neck. I gasped as the breeze of a bullet – this one was _not_ a tranquilizer – heated my skin, avoiding me by mere centimeters.

There was an explosion as one of the guards decided to try and hit us with an attack from his Ka, and one of the nearby vehicles burst into dark flames. The resulting heat and shrapnel sent us all scattering, and I gave an unintentional yelp as I tumble-rolled to the concrete, hands instinctively going to shield my neck and face. The air was sparking with live wires of Aureole energy, and somewhere in the distance, I could sense the familiar presences of Ra and Amane as they helped their Ba keep themselves and our companions safe from harm. I looked up to see Yami and Oscuridad ripping mercilessly into any nearby body that belonged to an enemy. Marik and Bakura had looted some pistols from a corpse or two, and were having the time of their lives figuring out how the firearms worked (_Why won't they Merge with their Ka?_ I found myself wondering). Gunfire and magic and spiritual energy danced through the air like a twisted symphony, and through it all, I realized how... _quiet_, everything seemed.

I rolled out of the way of another magic attack, shaken from my thoughts as a guard came upon me. I gasped despite myself, seeing four long, gouging, haphazardly-wrapped slashes upon a face twisted with pain and fury. It was the man Arceus had clawed before my containment. Scales roughened his skin, and claws sprouted from his toes. His arms were light blue now in color, with flaring membrane connecting the space between them and his sides. Like the wings of a bipedal dragon. "You'll pay for everything you've done, you little _bitch_!" he howled at me, and I saw smoke rise from the corners of his mouth. A shot of flame was sent my way before I could tell what was happening. Scrambling to the side, the fire singed the right arm of my jumpsuit, and I gasped loudly at the sudden heat and pain it brought.

Desperation filled me when I realized that, not only was my magic not responding to me, but there was no-one around to see my situation, and come to my aid. "Arceus!" I cried for my Ka thoughtlessly, panic starting to fill me. "Goddammit, _help_ me!" I grunted when a set of claws came and struck me across the cheek, blood trickling from the wound at once. I felt something within me startle at the physical sense of pain. I felt relief, until I saw the claw-faced man readying another breath of fire.

"Miho, _now_!" I heard a voice cry, and a gust of air blasted my foe away with ease. I startled, and looked up, to see the woman we had... somewhat accidentally taken hostage coming towards me. Only... her hair had gone from its short shoulder-length, into a few long, tied-back whips of hair. Brown had started to give way to an odd, mint-like hue at the tips. Her simple uniform had been covered by a tan, trench-coat like garment, and a beautifully crafted staff of silver was in the vice-grip of one hand. I stared at her for a moment as she reached out her hand, and I took it. The only thing that seemed to be the same about her was her voice, and her light blue eyes. "Th-Thanks!" I managed, and she just nodded, before gripping me by the wrist, and dragging me behind the cover of a company van.

"You okay?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah, just a scratch." Blood dripped from my cheek to the corner of my lip, and I licked away the stuff on instinct. I shuddered when the taste of iron filled my mouth, and wiped what I could away with a disgusted noise and the arm of my jumpsuit.

"Yuugi, over here!" I heard Malik's voice cry. His shoulders were slightly hunched, with an impressive set of gold, plate-like scales settling over them. His hands held the remainders of golden claws, one eye gone from lavender to bright red. Malik and Ra's Akh waved the woman – I believe her name was Anzu – and I over, and we quickly darted to their side. The others seemed to be pulling back, too, as Malik flung the driver's side door open. I cursed at our luck when I saw that there was no key left in the ignition switch.

"Here, step aside!" Malik shouted, and I stumbled as he shoved me away, and slipped to the floor below the dashboard. "I'll have this baby up n' running in no time!"

I gaped when his hands removed something beneath the steering wheel, and an array of colorful wires twisted their ways in and out of awfully nimble fingers. "Where the _hell_ did you learn how to hot-wire a freaking car?!" I demanded shrilly, outrage filling me. The others came close, and I saw Bakura and Marik both give wickedly amused smirks at my baby brother's apparent street-smarts. He didn't so much as _glance_ in my direction, and just shrugged.

"Hey, I was bored! When you're stuck in a house for over ten years-" he hissed a curse when one of the wires shocked his fingers "-the internet is a freaking _godsend_."

"That still doesn't explain why you looked up _how to hot-wire a fucking car_!"

We all did a collective jump when a dart took out the door's side-view mirror. I noticed that Seto – a man we had run into before, and Yami was apparently familiar with – was racing towards us. He looked worse for wear, but paler than I remembered. _Wasn't he supposed to be fighting off the rest of the guards?!_

Bakura seemed to notice, and growled. "Look, we don't have time for this! Just get in!"

The large doors on the side of the van slid on their tracks as Ryou, Bakura, Marik, Anzu, Yami and I all piled inside. I winced and hissed as my burned arm and sliced cheek smarted sharply, but ignored it as the doors slammed shut. I started as Seto suddenly swung through the passenger seat door, and the corporate van's engine suddenly roared to life with the crossing of wires. Malik gave a triumphant whoop, and slammed the driver's side door shut. He gripped the wheel and gave a manic grin.

"Alright, let's burn some rubber, bitches!" he hollering in glee. Alarm filled me, and I felt my visage go pale.

"W-Whoa, wait! When did you learn how to drive?!" I demanded shrilly.

He glanced over his shoulder and grinned. "I didn't, but better late than never!"

His foot slammed the gas pedal to the floor, and we were all thrown into various walls and makeshift guardsmen seats as the engine gave an ear-numbing bellow, and accelerated. Cries of panic and surprise filled the air as Malik tried to swerve around countless people and obstacles, his hands groping and twisting awkwardly at the wheel, tossing his passengers (_us_) from side to side, gripping to anything and everything for dear life. His hand slapped the horn, beeping loudly at the guards as we zoomed by. "Hey, outta the road! I'm trying to drive, here!"

My arms flung out to grab something – _anything_ – and keep myself from being tossed to the back of the van. Or worse, through the windshield up front. _This is it,_ I thought as we sharply turned a corner, and hurtled through the exit of the parking garage, _Oh Gods, this is how I'm going to die. By the hands of this fucking **lunatic** I call a brother!_

I grimaced when someone (I think it was Bakura) accidentally elbowed me in the arm, and I winced as the leftover burn of fire danced over my nerves. A wave of sadness filled me when I noticed my Bond with Arceus had yet to reopen. From beside me, Ryou placed a shivering hand over my own. I could see Amane perched easily next to him, her gentle hands gripping his shoulders in attempts to keep the whitenette steady. "You alright?" The question might as well have been rhetorical – I knew he could tell something was up. My brothers and I were _extremely_ sensitive to one another's spiritual energy. I knew that he could feel Arceus' absence, too. Not wanting to lie to his face, I just glanced away, and refused to respond.

"What's up?" I heard a deeper, more authoritative voice mumble. I glanced to the side to see Yami. A small, scaly creature was perched along his shoulders, tail wrapped over his neck and claws hooked into the fabric of his jumpsuit cautiously. His Ka, no doubt; it was odd to see such a ferocious thing that had been ripping out people's throats minutes ago looking so small and... well... _cute_. I grunted when Malik went over a bump, of some sort, jarring the van painfully. I just looked away with a muttered "nothing..."

He placed a hand on my arm, and I tried my best to ignore his continued attempts at gaining my attention. For a moment, I thought I saw the miniature figure of Oscuridad lean his muzzle a little closer to Yami's ear, as if to whisper something to him. Only he did not speak. I assumed that they were using their telepathic link to communicate. It only made my yearning for Arceus' return that much worse.

"_Yuugi_," Yami attempted once more, voice stern and – dare I say it – worried, "what's wrong?"

I scoffed and shrugged the hand away. An uncharacteristic bitterness filled my chest, swelling up like a balloon, and I glared without reason to the van's inner wall. As if the metal had personally offended me just by _being_ there. "What does it matter?" I retort coldly, a small bit of self-loathing planting itself into my chest as a fraction of my stress and frustration escaped to vent itself upon my Kindred. After all, he had only wanted to help. "I'm just a _fool_, so far as you two are concerned."

I saw him look sharply at Oscuridad's manifestation, and the little dragon narrowed its eyes in something close to outrage. I yelped despite myself as the vehicle gave another rough jostle, and had it not been for my Kindred, I would have been tossed to the floor. His hand shot out and grabbed me by the arm – my burned one, unfortunately – before I could fall, and pulled me close. I made an unwilling noise of pain as the irritated, most-likely-blistered skin caught beneath his palm throbbed with white-hot agony, and I roughly swatted him away with a sharp "be _careful_!" His eyes widened, before he came to the conclusion that I was hurt. Before he could do anything, a bickering Malik and Seto began to struggle over the wheel, and we all gave cries of panic and irritation as the van swerved. Daylight exploded over the top of the van as we left the cover of the garage, and for a moment my heart sang.

That is, until I heard something hit the bumper, followed by several, much smaller somethings.

They sounded like claws.

I lurched over to the nearest window, and rolled it down, ignoring the others' protests. I had to brace myself against the screaming wind as it filled my ears, and sent my hair whipping dangerously in front of me. I could see blurred streams of color and petrified faces shooting past us as we included the general public in our escape attempt. Looking up, the faintest glimpse of fabric flicking in the gale caught my eye, and dread sent my heart pounding when I spotted the sleek, black car that tailed behind us. A curse slipped past my lips. "They're tailing us!"

Without a word, he gently (well, gently as one could) pushed me aside, and leaned out the window. I saw the apparition of Oscuridad fade, and the next thing I knew, Yami's mouth opened to release a low growl coupled with a stream of dark fire. Alarm filled me, and I grabbed him by the collar before he could let off another attack, the dark heat cutting off with a choked noise. He turned on me after I'd let go, and bared his teeth in aggravation. "What the _hell_ are you doing?!"

Anger spiked in my chest at the aggravation in his tone, bracing against the door as the van shook around us. "Don't you get pissy with me, Mister!" I snapped back, "You can't just go around breathing fire wherever you damn well please! We're driving fast enough to kill down streets filled with pedestrians here, and they'll be in the line of fire – _literally_."

"But-" I cut him off.

"_No_, Yami!" Our gazes met in a heated, stubborn glare. "We may have to do the kill-or-be-killed bull with Pegasus and his men, but I _refuse_ to let any innocent bystanders pay the price for us."

He rolled his eyes with a fed-up grimace, and went to go back to the window. Outrage filled me at his blunt, wordless refusal to listen to what I was saying, and in a surge of frustration, ire, and fear, I shoved him back with enough force to send him stumbling back into the stunned bodies of Marik and Ryou. "Fucking _listen to me_, you _pigheaded_ _brat_!" His face was just as astonished as the people who caught him. "Listen, whether I like it or not – which I _don't_ – we are in a position where we have to hurt or kill those horrible people. And I guess I'll have to accept it. But I _will not_ allow anyone I associate with to kill unnecessarily! Whether it's an accident or not, hurting or killing anyone who isn't involved makes us _just as bad_ as Pegasus is! So shut the hell up and _listen_, and find a _logical_ solution; one that doesn't involve snapping someone's neck or burning them to a crisp; because it's either that, or so help me, I will _throw you_ _out the window_."

It was then, above Malik's incessant blaring of the horn and shouts of warning (to both bystanders, and us when he had to swerve and avoid them) that we all heard sirens begin to wail in the distance. They steadily grew louder and more intense, and I knew that it wasn't only Pegasus who was after us now. _Shit!_ Fear gripped my chest like a vice. _If we get caught by Pegasus, we're going to be locked up and tortured for the rest of our lives. And if we're caught by the police, we're in prison for life, if they don't end up shipping us all back to Pegasus, anyways._

It was a lose-lose situation for us. No matter what, we'd be royally _screwed_.

For a moment, I thought I felt Arceus' presence stir in response to my rage and underlying fear, but I decided to not get my hopes up, and ignored it. After taking a breath, I looked at Bakura and Marik. Their expressions, like everyone else's, were filled with tension, fear and desperation. I did my best to calm myself. "Any bullets left?" I asked, and they nodded densely in reply. "Either of you a good shot?" To this they shook their heads. I bit back a quiet curse at our luck.

I was surprised when Anzu, of all people, stepped forward and grabbed our only firearms – those being two pistols the other Dark Attributes had looted from the corpse of a guard back at that Hell we were stuck in. There was an icy determination in her cerulean eyes, and with a single glance, not even the 'yamis' dared to complain. "If you can cover me," she stated, "I can get these guys off our tail."

"Shit – _hold on to something_!" Malik suddenly shouted, twisting the wheel to the left as he swerved to avoid a dark car that suddenly veered into our path. I shouted, the momentum strong enough to throw me into the car door. I felt Yami's arm come up behind me, and I was clutched to a strong chest as we tumbled to the floor. Something on top of the van skidded to the side roughly. There a faint scream being cut off as our would-be captor met a violent and painful fate underneath the tires of an unknown number of cars.

Seto hissed from up front, the knuckles of his fists gone white as he gripped the side of his seat for stability. "_Damn it_ there's more of them!"

"How many more?!" I heard Bakura yell back.

"Your guess is as good as mine!"

I cringed and grit my teeth at the sound of squealing tires on hot pavement. The clamor blended with the shouts and screams of pedestrians, car horns, police sirens, and the pounding of my heart. But, then... everything seemed to fall silent. I blinked, as an idea came to me.

"Take out the tires." Yami looked at me in a confounded way, as if he'd thought I'd finally gone mad. That seemed to be a regular occurrence as of late.

"What?"

"Take out the tires," I repeated, unable to withhold a grin as the confidence grew. "Anzu!" Said woman looked up in surprise. "Use the ammo we have left, and aim for the tires of all those cars! If they have a flat, they can't drive well; if they can't drive well, they'll lose ground. And when we get far enough ahead-!"

She grinned and completed my sentence for me. "We can find a way to ditch them, and get away without being caught! But what about them? They've got to have guns of their own with them. Or what if they Merge with their Ka?"

"Yami or Seto will go out there with you." Two surprised protests met my words. I frowned with a quiet growl in response to both of them, throwing a glare at the two young men. "For the love of – your Ka are _dragons_, for God's sake! The scales should be more than enough to keep you safe for a little while."

"Says you, kid," Seto snapped, and I reflected his scowl right back at him, "_You_ didn't have to try and fend off two dozen of those creeps by yourself like I did! And _you_ didn't have to use yourself as a shield like Yami!" Cold blue eyes scanned over me in a calculating way. "Hell, I haven't seen you even _bothering_ to pull your own weight around here! After what you did to Kemo, I'd expect more of a backbone from you!"

I winced unintentionally at the mention of my episode, and I felt Yami's arm tighten defensively over my shoulders. "Watch it, Kaiba," Yami snarled, "You're talking to my Kindred here!"

"Well if he's so eager to toss us into the line of fire, why shouldn't _he_ make some kind of sacrifice instead? It's his fucking idea!"

I could feel a headache coming on. "I'd love to, but I can't."

"Well why the hell not? Look, I _saw_ you almost get burnt to a crisp back in that garage!" I blinked, and my arm gave a subconscious throb. "If it weren't for Mazaki, you'd either be dead or locked back up in that place. Why didn't you just Merge with your Ka? Are you too scared to do it? Does it go against your goodie-two-shoes morals? Wake up and smell the roses, shrimp – we're _wanted fugitives_ now, and will be so long as those psychopaths are still breathing!"

"No, that's not it, I-!"

"Then what is it? I'm not going to risk my hide for some dead weight!"

"Kaiba, shut the hell up!" Yami snapped. I could feel my heart pulse painfully, and, forced by habit, my hand came to grip the cloth above where it rested.

"I just _can't_ Kaiba, okay? Now can we stop arguing, before we're either shot or arrested?!"

"Just Merge with your Ka, then! If you're so willing to toss others into harm's way-"

"I _can't_!"

"Why can't you?!"

"My _Ka_ isn't _here_ right now!" My voice rose above the clamor that was growing between us all, and I stood rigidly, balancing myself by putting a hand on the wall and broadening my stance. "Arceus cut himself off from me, and he _isn't fucking here_, okay?! So I can't do a goddamn thing to help unless you want a _corpse_ to throw at their windshield!" I jabbed a finger into his chest, and Seto blinked owlishly in astonishment at my lapse of temper, "I'll make it up when I can, but right now I don't feel like dying or being thrown back in a room for the rest of my life; _and_, unless we're all fine-and-dandy with her getting a bullet between the eyes the moment she shows her face, I don't want Anzu to go up there without some kind of backup! So unless you want that to happen to everyone in here, will you _please_ just _shut the hell up_ and do what I tell you to!"

I turned back to Yami. "Kaiba will cover you and Oscuridad while you keep Anzu safe." I looked back to Kaiba. "If anyone tries to sneak up on him from behind, I want you to light them up like a firework gone wrong. But _do not_ attack the police officers. They're just doing their job to keep a couple cars full of lunatics from hurting or killing any Domino citizens. We'll stick to taking out the tires with them. Anything else goes with Pegasus and his goons. Use your claws to dig into the metal of the roof and keep your balance. Got it?"

Still, a pair of red and blue eyes blinked at me with dumfounded expressions. I released a frustrated sigh and resisted smacking myself on the forehead. "Some time _today_ would be very much appreciated, thank you!" That seemed to snap them out of it, because black scales began to crawl over Yami's arms by the time I'd finished talking, and I saw Kaiba's blue eyes develop elongated pupils. Next thing I knew, a roughly-Great-Dane-sized dragon covered in obsidian scales slithered forward in place of my Sheut, and the rest of us held on to various pieces of car for dear life when the side-door suddenly slid open. Oscuridad glanced over a large shoulder to Anzu, who had managed to holster the two firearms to her coat. The dragon made a small, jerked motion with his head, and rumbled something the sounded suspiciously like "hop on" – referring to his back.

The brunette quickly but carefully climbed onto Oscuridad's back, firmly gripping the joint of one of his wings, and I bit back a stab of possessiveness when said wing opened into the wind outside, and he carried the two of them out on momentum, twisting in a way that kept them from slamming into the side of the van. Seto, now having more scales showing than skin, maneuvered himself out the passenger's side window. Heavy thumping and the scrape of nails into metal filled my ears as the three got themselves situated. "Hold on!" Malik called again, jerking the wheel to one side. Tires skid across the pavement and we drifted a corner with the finesse of a stock car driver on the track. I stumbled and fell, but stopped short when Ryou's quick thinking made him reach out and grab me by the arms, Bakura and Amane holding him by the waist, and Marik moving to slam the side door shut. The second Egyptian swung himself into the front seat beside my brother, eyes scanning the blurred streets, as if searching for something.

Gunfire began to whiz through the air, and I could see indents from Kaiba and Yami's claws digging into the top of the van. Marik suddenly gripped the wheel, and turned for a worn-looking street. "What the hell are you doing?!" I heard Malik snap, and I saw the swipe of a white-scaled tail flick by the window in an attempt to balance the rest of the body it was connected to.

"Here let me drive – I know a place we can go!" said Marik

"I think I can manage, thanks," Malik retorted.

"Like Hell!"

The car began to swerve as the two fought for dominance, and bickering filled the air when Bakura decided to get involved with the mix. I ducked out the window when I saw one of their grips slipping, about to send us toppling back to the ground. I braced myself on the open window and shouted a warning to the three up top. "_Hard left_!"

They managed to ground themselves enough just in time for the vehicle to lurch to one side. I grunted as I was thrown into the door. Looking up, there was what might have been a small parade tailing behind us. Three sleek, black vehicles – belonging to Pegasus, no doubt – and five different police cruisers with sirens wailing.

With the crack of a gun, a tire in the frontmost cruiser burst, and it swerved dangerously to one side. The edge of a spiked tail snapped, and two, razor-like spikes pierced the fronts of the next one. A cop and a goon both pulled their guns at the same time and shot in almost complete unison. Kaiba's Ka gave an angered bellow when one of them scuffed the scales of his shoulder, and I ducked back in caution when the other ricocheted off the side of the van and bust one of our taillights. I was thrown to the ground when Kaiba suddenly launched himself from the roof, and onto the next cruiser, clawing into the metal frame and making the men inside swerve from our path when we took another harsh turn.

Two more bullets; four down, four to go.

People had made scarce on the streets, which were steadily becoming more and more dilapidated, the farther we went. I scanned the horizon for Kaiba's Ka – a ferocious, three-headed white beast with the same eye color as its Ba – but there was no such luck right now. _Gods I hope he'll be alright_.

The last cruiser went with another row of scaled spikes to the tires, and somehow I _knew_ that's what Yami was waiting for.

With the uninvolved out of the way, he and Oscuridad could do whatever they damn well pleased. I leaned out the window again in time to see Oscuridad's scaly muzzle split with a grin. Anzu, who had slipped from his back, seemed to sense his desire to cause them harm, and she scrambled back haphazardly. She screamed as Oscuridad took hold, throwing their sense to the wind. "Hold on to me!" I ordered Ryou, knowing Amane would help him as I went about throwing the side door open.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I heard Bakura demand, just as Oscuridad's hind legs coiled, before sending the two of them launching forward, straight into the two closest cars. The third and final one swerved to avoid the hulking mass of dragon, and onto a separate roadway, before crashing into a worn-down building with a burst of flame. We all gave a collected scream as the momentum sent the van rocking, and I saw Anzu get thrown to the side despite her best efforts. Just as I'd predicted.

"Anzu!" I reached out to her as she slid off the edge, feeling my brother strengthen his grip on me. "Pull back!" I ordered, before getting tugged back sharply just as Anzu's hand clasped my own. She gave a short shriek of terror and panic as, for mere moments, she was suspended in the air, falling towards the asphalt racing below. And, had she hit it, she would have been trampled beneath the tires of the cars behind us. But the three of us managed to pull her inside just in time. There was a clatter as the now-unloaded pistols fell from her makeshift belt, and onto the streets below us. I collapsed into Ryou's chest, Anzu landing on top of me, and poor Amane was shoved back by her Ba's body while trying to keep us all upright. My heart pounded as I breathed heavily, trying to calm it. I could feel Anzu shivering as her arms wraps around me tight. With the flicker of wide, scared blue eyes, she murmured a quiet thanks. I nodded at her, swallowing in attempt to soothe my suddenly-dry throat. She got to her hands and knees, moving off of me, and I got off of Ryou and Amane. They seemed worse for wear.

"Sorry," I said quickly, "and thanks." They nodded at me, and Amane's manifestation faded.

With the air lacking the screams of sirens and gunfire, everything seemed to lapse into a brief moment of quiet and calm. It was odd. But in a nice kind of way.

It was short-lived, as a loud, leathery flapping sound filled the air. I started back into Ryou's chest as something the size of a large dog came barreling through the still-open side door. Three huge, angled heads covered in white scales swung around, while a thick tail thrashed briefly in the air for balance. I saw three pairs of vaguely-familiar blue eyes, before the beast collapsed to the floor. The, wings, tail, and two extra heads vanished in a puff of equally pale-blue magic, and white scales crawled back to reveal pale flesh and uncharacteristically tousled brown hair.

Kaiba lay prone, injured, and ashen-skinned with fatigue before me. Ryou and Anzu helped me pull him towards the back of the van, away from the open door, and he seemed too spent to protest at being handled. Any other day, I was _sure_ he'd probably claw our arms for even _trying_ to touch him, had he not been so tired. He was covered in small scratches and scrapes, and bruises were just starting to form here and there. The only thing that concerned me was a deeper cut beneath his left shoulder, and the blood dripping from his nose. Without thinking, I tore away the left sleeve of my jumpsuit (surprisingly devoid of dried blood), and used the fabric to bind his cut. Kaiba managed a kind-of-grateful look as he sat himself up shakily. A hand came up to wipe the red from his face, and he tilted his head forward, pinching the bridge of his nose to stop the blood flow.

The weird thing was, his nose didn't look broken or injured. He seemed to sense my curiosity, because he gave me a winded explanation before either of us could speak. "Overuse of magic," he drawled slowly, with a few small pauses to take deep breaths. "Aureole energy is the life-force between Ba and Ka... It's like a muscle. Use too much magic... and you get hurt. Have to... strengthen it, through practice. Like any other muscle in your body. Causes an overload on your system otherwise." After a minute or two, the bleeding stopped.

"I'm not going to be much use for a while," Kaiba suddenly announced, looking almost pained at the admittance of his limitations, "Not gonna have much control over my magic, and Cerberus and I are too tired to Merge." His posture straightened, and he met my puzzled gaze with a scoff. "And since you're looking at me like you've got the IQ level of an eggplant – continued use after an overload can kill you. So don't be an idiot."

There was a loud _thump_ing sound, and the roof of the van became indented with the shapes of a dragon's talons. Seto rolled his eyes with a grimace.

"Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear..."

Seconds later, Yami swung in through the door, which was slammed shut soon after. Yami had a larger array of scratches and bruises than Kaiba did, but none of them looked deep. I immediately got up and stumbled over to him, my arms slipping around his waist in a strong embrace. The warmth from his chest sent my frantic heart at ease, and I gave myself a moment to relax and breathe deeply. Yami just... stood there, arms out awkwardly at his sides. Like he didn't know how to react.

I blinked up at him after a few seconds, emotion bubbling up in my chest despite my best attempts to quell it. "Are you okay?" I asked quietly. His expression was blank with surprise, his crimson eyes wide as he looked at me. After a moment, that face softened some, and he gave a small nod.

"Good."

I grabbed him by the ear, and Yami gave a yelp, half from shock, half from pain. "What the _hell_ were you thinking, you _idiot_?!" I demanded, "You almost killed Anzu with that stunt back there! Next time make sure any allies are _inside_ the van _before_ you decide to take a flying leap!"

"Alright, _alright_, Jesus, I'm _sorry_! Fucking let go!"

I did, barking a tense "Thank you!" It sounded more like '_if you weren't so hurt right now I swear to God I'd punch you_'.

He pulled away, rubbing his aching ear with an aggravated "You're welcome!" It had the underlying message of '_if we weren't running for our lives still I'd gladly return the favor_'.

"Dick."

"Brat."

Marik took the moment to casually lean back in his seat, look at us, and announced, "And _this_, ladies and gentlemen, is what love is like."

"Shut the hell up, Marik," Malik snapped, still fixated on the road.

"Yes, Malik."

Bakura snickered, whispering "_whipped_" under his breath.

Ryou glared at him, and Bakura paled some, before offering a sheepish grin.

There was a pause, before an amused smile rose on my face. I leaned back against the van door as a chuckle escaped me – it was echoed by Anzu and my brothers, while our darker counterparts frowned. Kaiba just rolled his eyes despite the smirk that was on his face. The atmosphere was almost carefree. My own laughter fell silent while the others continued, and I looked at all of them. Our 'yamis' were beginning to crack their own grins after a little bit, and everyone finally allowed the tension to drop from their shoulders a little bit. Heck, Malik was even a little more than mediocre at his driving at this point. The streets around us were cracked and lined with buildings on the verge of becoming rubble, and the streets were empty. Our Kindred were slowly beginning to glance around, and something flickered in Yami's gaze that made a mixture of concern and curiosity fill me. Just as I opened my mouth to ask him what was wrong, a small shock pulsed across my mind, and I blanked out when an achingly familiar presence filled my soul. I put a hand over my heart (_damn that habit!_) as Arceus' soft, purring growl filled my head.

..._Little One...?_ His mental voice sounded hushed and hesitant. I could feel an underlying sense of embarrassment, and even shame, on his consciousness. I frowned, irritation and a brief sense of hurt filling me.

_How nice of you to actually **show up**_, I growled back at him. I could picture the metaphysical flinch he gave from within his soul's room. _Here I was, thinking you didn't care about the possibility of us all being blown to bits! How silly of me!  
_

Alarm filled his presence. _What are you talking about?_

_I'm talking about about the past couple of **hours**, Arceus!_ I snapped back at him, and I knew my anger was beginning to show on my face, _We've been on the run from Pegasus, and we all just about got **killed** in the process!_

I could feel him trying to dig through my recent memories, and I gladly let him explore, physically crossing my arms as I looked to the side to glare at the back of Marik's seat, giving a quiet huff. For a moment, I caught Malik's gaze in the seat across from me. I glanced away quickly, seeing the knowing concern in his lavender eyes. I felt Arceus steadily fill with shame as the events of the past who-knows-how-long replayed themselves in my head. From the guards who had tried to put a new collar on me, to us somewhat-accidentally taking Anzu hostage, my nearly being burnt to a crisp, us being shot at and chased, and every last ounce of my inner turmoil and begging for him to help coming to slap him across his stupid, scaly muzzle along the way.

_Like I said,_ I mentally snorted, _nice of you to show up._

_Y... Y-Yuugi, I..._ Hesitation filled our Bond, and I wasn't sure if I should let the bitterness in my stomach grow or fade at the sound of his mental voice, _I-I had no idea... I'm-_

"_Don't you fucking dare_," I hissed sharply under my breath, startling myself at the accidental slip. I looked up to see the others staring at me with everything ranging from concern to confusion, to just wondering why the hell I was glaring holes into the back of the passenger seat and if I'd finally lost my goddamn mind. Despite my irritation, I felt my face warm with embarrassment, and I looked away. "It's nothing," I mumbled, leaning heavily against the wall for support while the van rocked and rattled around us.

_We'll talk about this later, Arceus. In private._

_B... But Little One-!_

_**Later**, Arceus!_ I snapped at him, biting the inside of my cheek to keep myself from growling out loud. His mental voice fell silent, and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. I could feel his aura, his presence, lingering hesitantly in our shared mind. A mental image of his shimmering, pale silver-lavender energy drifting along in our soul came to mind, hovering hesitantly next to a more saturated amethyst aura that I knew was my own. Not quite brushing against it, mingling with it, like it usually did. It troubled me to think that he was _scared_ of interacting with my half of our soul at this point, but I decided it'd be best to let things lie for now. At least until we could find ourselves a moment of solitude to work things out. I didn't want my brothers, Kindred, or our new... companions, to deal with the awkwardness of seeing me argue with a translucent dragon. Or, in Seto, Anzu, Marik and Bakura's cases, a shimmering cloud of magic.

I snapped back to reality when I noticed something.

Malik was still staring at me, concern in his eyes.

Paying absolutely _no_ mind to the road ahead of us. Or the fact that he needed to turn with the rest of the road, like, _right now_.

"Crap, Malik, watch the freaking road!"

He started, whipping around to see ahead of him right as a lamppost came to meet us. He frantically jerked the wheel to the left as we came up to meet it, and slammed on the brakes. "_Shit_!"

The van vaulted to one side, and I was thrown to the ground with a painful thud. The tires and brakes squealed deafeningly as the scent of burning rubber filled the air around us. But when you're going well over seventy on a cracked road, in a cheap van that just went to hell and back, some measly, worn-out brakes won't do much to help the situation. In my panic, I threw out a hand, and thoughtlessly willed for something, _anything_, to happen and help us.

I'd practiced with my magic before very briefly in the past, but Jii-chan had always been very adamant about my brothers and I avoiding any intense self-training. First off, because we could accidentally hurt ourselves or others without proper guidance and instruction. Secondly, it could attract some unwanted attention. So I wasn't too experienced.

For a moment, as my eyes slipped shut, I was brought ten years into the past. On that fateful day my world had changed forever – where my brothers and I were left in the care of our grandfather, and my and Malik's mother, Ashita, along with Ryou's father, Satoru, met unfortunate fates long before their time, and joined their Kindred in the Afterlife. And for that small moment in time, I was a terrified six-year-old, staring into the large, scared, sad blood-red eyes of an onyx-scaled dragon. The one who seemed so familiar and terrifying and lovely all at the same time...

My eyes opened as I felt a spark catch fire, and a pulse of bright energy escaped from my fingertips, the desire to protect and keep the people around me safe. I could feel Arceus and I's power as it latched onto and weaved with the auras of the others, forming a bright, pale-lavender bubble around their bodies. Something in the back of my mind pulled, and somewhere I could sense Arceus' panic as my focus to keep them safe kept myself in harm's way.

_Yuugi!_ I felt something settle over me. Scaled limbs hugged me close to a soft chest and smooth wings folded over me just as the right side of the van slammed into the post. It pitched to one side, and rolled over itself a few times, sending all of us tumbling aimlessly within its confines. I felt Arceus' claws sink into my clothing, holding me close as he curled around our body more tightly, protecting it. I felt us being thrown in one direction, before the grinding and crunching noises of metal began to fade, and the world finally stopped spinning. There was a creak as something a few yards off settled and fell still. My eyes were burning and all I could see was blinding, white light. My head was throbbing as if someone had just taken a sledgehammer to my skull a good ten times, and I thought I tasted blood. I couldn't think straight. It was all just a big whirlwind of feelings and sensations and pain and I felt like I just couldn't relax no matter how hard I tried and _Gods_ _above my head hurts-!_

_Yuugi, something's wrong – stop using magic!_ Arceus' voice warned, sounding frantic. It snapped me from my trance, and a loud gasp escaped me as all the strength left my muscles. I fell limp in my Ka's grip, allowing myself to be held and cradled by him as I released my control on our magic, letting whatever it was I had just done fade away. The world was spinning without end and I felt nauseous, and tired, and... was my nose bleeding?

_I think I just broke my brain._

Arceus' brilliant wings unfolded themselves from around the two of us, and he flopped over onto one side, his forelegs still hugging me against that smoothly-crystallized chest of his. His rear legs spread out, stretching, as if to check for damage, and I could feel the burn on my right arm throbbing along with my sluggish pulse. I panted heavily, my lungs feeling like I'd just swallowed a bunch of water and it had all pooled into them. It made it difficult to breathe. My hand absently came to wipe blood away from my face.

I felt a forked, serpentine tongue flick against the scratch on my left cheek. It tickled.

"A... Arce'...?" I managed, looking over at the manifestation of my Ka's slender muzzle. I glanced up, and was surprised to see that we were laying on the concrete. _What happened to the..._

My eyes lazily cast over the area, to see the twisted metal remains of a vehicle. My eyes went wide in terror.

_The van!_

I went to get up, but Arceus held me in place. "Ar-Arceus! What the – let go! They could be hurt!" His only response to my protests was to wrap himself around me more firmly.

_**They** are fine,_ he insisted soothingly, _**you** are hurt._

"No, _I'm_ fine, but _they're_ hurt! They're still in the van! We have to go help them!" My struggling quickly became weaker, and I could of sworn that I felt the blood dripping down my chin. My head was pounding, and I felt a warm string of moisture fall down my face. I sense alarm as it filled Arceus' side of our mind-link. The intensity of it was enough to make me fall still in shock.

I groaned, wiping the wetness from my eye and cheek with the back of a hand. I was startled to find red smeared across it when I pulled away. _What in the world...?_ I felt like I was going to be sick.

"_Arceus_!" I heard Ryou suddenly scream towards us, and I looked up sharply to see him beginning to emerge from the wreckage with Kaiba at his side. "Arceus, go away!"

My Ka recoiled slightly in offense and surprise. "_I beg your pardon_?" he replied, sounding miffed. Strangely enough, his voice sounded tired – strained, even. Maybe he was feeling sick too?

"Go _away_! Don't manifest!" Ryou cried out, motioning wildly to the side with an arm, as if he was trying to sweep the dragon away from sight. He started to run to our sides with Kaiba, the others beginning to squirm their ways from the wreckage, as well. I paused just long enough to feel relieved. They were all alright. Ryou's expression, however, was panicked. "You're going to kill yourselves! Go back into your Akh!"

Arceus started in dread, and the next thing I knew, I was rolling from the scaled arms of a dragon, to the dirt-and-gravel-covered road, coughing as the sudden pain and weight in my head and body lifted some. It was easier to breathe now, and I took advantage of that. Between each cough I tried to gulp down a gasp of air. Honestly all I wanted to do right now was sleep.

I was suddenly being propped up by Ryou, and Kaiba was on one knee before me, snapping his fingers in front of my face to keep my attention. "Yuugi, you awake?" he asked, and I nodded dumbly in reply, "Stay that way, got it? Don't go to sleep." I blinked slowly at him, still trying to breathe normally. "Okay, I need you to tell me how much experience you have with your magic, alright? I need you to concentrate on that. Did you practice with it often before Pegasus put the collar on you? Can you cast any spells, or do anything special with it at all, like that protection spell you just cast?"

I squinted at him, my brain feeling like it was caught in a fishbowl, left to aimlessly float around. I couldn't focus. "Wah... Wa-Wait... stop talkin' s' fast..." Why was I slurring? "Wha..?"

There was something in his eyes I _almost_ wanted to classify as concern. But Kaiba wouldn't actually be _concerned_ about someone he hardly even knew... right? "Do you have experience with your magic?" he repeated, much more slowly. I noticed movement by the van, but before my attention could stray, his fingers snapped again, and I jumped a little. "Pay attention!"

"K... Kinda'... N-Not... much... w-why?"

"Have you ever cast a spell like that before?"

I could feel my words beginning to catch up with me some, but my head was still pounding. "Once... when I was... really little."

"How 'little'?"

"When I... when Arceus first woke up..." I began to elaborate, "There was this, this _huge_ thing... a dragon, an' we were in a car... going to Jii-chan's house... an' there was this screech, and some kinda' explosion, a-and I wanted to keep everyone safe... then Arceus woke up, n' all of a sudden, we were in this... this bubble, and..." For some reason I started to giggle. But... I don't know why. I didn't see anything as incredibly _funny_ right now.

Gods above, I think I _actually_ broke my brain.

Kaiba, _again_, snapped his fingers, and I stopped laughing. I couldn't stop grinning, though. _Is this what it's like to be high?_ "So you don't have any other experience, besides that?" I shook my head. His brow furrowed. "Then why the _hell_ would you cast a spell like that?! You could have fucking _killed yourself_!"

I flinched back with a shout, and covered my ears – it felt like my head was about to split open! He was being so loud!

"Kaiba, what do you think you're doing?" I heard Yami's voice demand, and several sets of feet were running up to us. I looked up at him and smiled weakly, and his face went a little bit pale. "Sh-Shit – Yuugi, are you crying _blood_?!" I paused, and wiped again at the now-drying track of red that ran from my eye and down my cheek, puzzlement filling me at the comment. Was I?

I shrank back into Ryou's arms as Kaiba suddenly leaned closer, eyes narrowing, as if he was scrutinizing me for something. I felt like a kid who was trying to hide the fact he'd stolen a cookie from the jar before dinner from his parents. His face was still a good foot or two away from mine, but to say the sudden attention made me uneasy would have been an understatement. My discomfort showed through a little mumbled "uh..."

Yeah, intelligent, I know. I deserve an award for mind-stirring speeches.

After a moment, he leaned back again with a thoughtful hum. "Looks like it's stopped... might've just been one tear, from when his Ka was still manifested." Though I had a hard time grasping what he was saying, I managed a tiny nod of confirmation at his words. Kaiba seemed to have not noticed it – either that, or he didn't care enough to bother looking, because his attention was focused back on Yami as he continued. "Your boyfriend decided to cast an expert-level protection spell to keep us all safe during the crash. Granted, we probably wouldn't be walking away from this if he hadn't, but the idiot hasn't had _any_ practice with his casting beforehand. So his body is going through an overload from using too much magic."

You'd think that'd be something to sober a person up. It was alarming, to say the least. But all I did was bust out into more giggles. I cupped a hand to my mouth, trying to stifle the laughter, but I just _couldn't stop laughing_!

_Yup. That's it. I broke my brain. It's broken. Yami, Arceus, I'm broken. Fix me please. God, my head is **killing me**!_

"Don't worry," I heard Kaiba say, "It makes you kind of loopy at first. At least when it's at this degree. As long as he doesn't start bleeding from the eyes again, or the ears, he should be alright." I felt Ryou's arms tighten around me, and I finally got the laughter to stop. I looked up to see several worried faces looking right back. Malik, Ryou, their Kindred, Yami, Anzu... hell, even _Kaiba_ looked a little worried!

"I'm... Leggo, Ryou," I said simply, trying to pull away from him, "'M fine, 'kay? Jus'... 'm jus' fine."

He let go, but my bones decided to bail out on me, and I flopped clumsily to one side before I could even _try_ to get up. I glanced up lazily to my Kindred, and not even _I_ could make sense of the emotions playing across his face right now. "I... I think tha' I broke my brain..." I informed him, before snickering again and rolling onto my stomach, trying to prop myself up with my arms. "I. Am. Broken!"

Kaiba rolled his eyes, and I saw Bakura and Marik trying to keep back grins at my behavior. "'Ey!" I snapped at them, pointing an accusatory finger at the pair. They froze. "...you _shuddup_."

I managed to get myself into a sitting position, before wincing. Blood started to drip from my nose again, and I wiped it away with my remaining jumpsuit sleeve, making a sound of disgust. Malik came up beside me this time, and gently tilted my head forward. "Wha...?" His thumb and index finger gingerly pinched the bridge of my nose to stop the blood. "How long is he going to be like... _this_?" I heard the Egyptian question as I started snickering again for some reason.

Damn it, _stop_ _laughing_!

Kaiba shrugged. "Anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Just be glad he's acting like this. If he fell asleep, he wouldn't have woken up. And if he was pissed, we'd all be blown sky high by his leftover magic by now."

Nevermind, keep laughing, _keep laughing_!

"Is he like... so tired he's drunk, or something?" I heard Bakura ask.

"Not exactly; the overload affects someone's physical abilities – like being able to control laughter, keep from crying, walking normally, their sense of balance, speech, etcetera – but their mental processes usually remain intact." Malik finally let go of my nose, and the bleeding stopped.

"So..." Ryou drawled, "He's _completely_ aware of what's going on right now? And he just... can't control it?"

"Eee_yup_!" I chirped suddenly, before clapping a hand over my mouth to shut myself up. I swayed as the world tilted to one side, and my brothers had to grab me by the shoulders so I wouldn't topple over again. Anzu was the one who snapped her fingers this time, and my scrambled brain focused in on the sound. I looked up and met her cerulean eyes curiously.

"Does your head hurt?" she asked, and I nodded slowly. "Feel numb anywhere?" This, I denied. "Do you think you can stand?"

"Maybe...?" _Finally_, something coherent!

Ryou and Malik slowly guided me to my knees, before helping me to my feet. I stumbled a few times, and Yami had to step in and help when my knees ended up buckling the second time, but eventually, I was standing. I dunno how long it took, but I was still more than a little off-kilter by then. I was swaying a little in place. Anzu took a moment to tell Arceus and I that we couldn't Merge, even partially, for at least a couple of hours (though it'd be best to avoid it for a couple days just to be sure), and apparently Arceus wasn't allowed to manifest himself for at least a day or two. '_Just to be safe_', she'd said. "And make sure," she added, looking to Yami and my brothers this time, "that if he needs help walking, or anything like that, you don't carry him unless it's a last resort. The movement should help clear up his head a little bit and get everything back into order a little faster. So try to not baby him too much."

We all looked around when the faint sound of sirens began to wail in the far distance. Kaiba's face looked grim and serious.

"C'mon, I know a place we can lay low at until the heat dies down."

I went to walk, but ended up wobbling on the first step, and stumbling into Yami. My arms instinctively went to wrap around his waist for some kind of leverage. I beamed up at him when he looked down at me, surprise and worry within his red eyes. "Help me?" I asked, "Please?"

He acquiesced , and next thing I knew, his arm had snaked around my waist, and I was half-hugging his midsection as we started to walk away. The warmth of his body made a soft little sigh escape my lips, and I allowed my eyes to slip shut in bliss at the pleasant feeling of his muscles working against my own while we walked. I rested my head on his arm subconsciously, smiling faintly as the group quickly made for the ruins of Old Domino City, and away from the police sirens that would be chasing us for... well, who knew how long? It could very well be until the end of our lives, at this point.

But... if I have Yami to run with me... I think I'll be able to handle it.

* * *

**Nickey: So, that was a GREAT chapter. Nothing spells out FANTASTIC like ripping out people's throats, and punching them in the face, while almost being killed in a high speed chase. WOOO! I really gotta calm the hell down... So anyway, We'll catch ya'll next time with my chapter... Hope you all enjoyed, and don't forget to leave a review, because we both read them ^w^ Until next time! * waves * goodbye!**

_Fallen: Well, thank you. I just hope every one else enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing! Honestly I had a lot of difficulty with this chapter, and I got stuck on a couple of parts. So could you all please tell us what you thought of it once your done? It'd be really appreciated! I promise I'll try to give a personal response to your lovely reviews from this moment on, OK?_

* * *

_**Love you all! Stay safe, and we'll see you in the next chapter!**_


	13. Comrades

**Nickey: SO, I'm beginning to remember these chapters a lot better now... And I don't think it's because I've edited, and re-edited this chapter a million times over XD Or maybe it is... I dunno... Either way! A few repeats this chapter, just from a different point of view. So, enjoy ladies and gents!**

_Fallen: We hope you guys like it – and, **again**, I'm sorry for not uploading this on time... a lot of distractions for me this summer, it seems! *laughs* I don't have much else to say for this chapter, other than I hope you all enjoy the read! Oh, and thank you guys **so much** for all of your support and kind words in your reviews. They mean a lot to the both of us! :)_

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more. Enjoy!**

* * *

**_~ Chapter XIII ~_**

_Comrades_

* * *

"_GO_!"

The demand echoed in my ears as we ran out of the calm and into the storm. Bullets and darts whizzed in every direction in their attempt to hit their mark (us). We were so close to freedom, so close that Os had to keep reminding himself he couldn't just fly off. I tried so hard to ignore the emotions that flowed from my Kindred as we dashed across the concrete.

Now was _not_ the time to fret over his inner turmoil.

A black fireball shot overhead, bursting a nearby company van into flames. I tried to keep an eye on everyone as we scattered, especially the brat. Even if I wasn't addressing his inner issues now, I didn't want to leave him alone with them either. I'm sure it would prove to be trouble.

I watched as he hit the ground, deciding in that moment that the Ka responsible was dead. I spun around to meet the partially Merged worker head on. A group jumped in to back him up and Oscuridad was more than happy to rip his talons through them.

My brothers grabbed firearms from a couple of the corpses, almost getting shot in the process of figuring out how to work the damned things. It didn't take long before they were taking out the enemy. Their Ka, for some odd reason, had yet to be awakened. Maybe it was because of what happened when my Ka woke up; maybe they're too scared to accept theirs just yet.

I glanced over my shoulder in time to see Yuugi roll to the side, dodging an attack from a guard – the one he'd slashed across the face before getting dragged off – and the brute's Ka. I knew I couldn't make it to him, and no one else was watching. I continued fighting while occasionally looking in his direction.

_Why wasn't he Merging with his Ka?!_

The thought of punching him crossed my mind more than once. The angrier I got at him, the more people I slaughtered. I knew his Ka could take him, I'd watch him fight against the collar's effects, and now it was like... I don't even know how to describe it. It's like he didn't care anymore. We were so close to being free, though; why would he give up _now_?

The man landed a hit across Yuugi's face and I felt my anger explode. _When I get my hands on that son of a...! _A gust of wind blew the big brute away before he could deal the finishing blow. I'd never been happy to see that annoying brunette, but boy was I relieved that she saved him.

I turned around, watching as everyone began to fall back. I decided to keep the enemy back long enough for everyone to pull towards one of the vans. Slowly and steadily I moved back to group with them.

After approaching I saw... probably one of the most amusing things I'd ever seen. I'd never seen such a look on the brat's face. Then I started listening to the conversation, and understood why he'd been making such a face.

"Where the _hell_ did you learn how to hot-wire a freaking car?!"

"Hey, I was bored! When you're stuck in a house for over ten years-" _There's a shock_, I thought to myself, Os silently growling his agreement. Malik hissed, cursing under his breath as he was shocked immediately after my 'shocking' thought. _Oops._ "-the internet is a freaking _godsend_."

"That still doesn't explain why you looked up _how to hot-wire a fucking car_!" Yuugi screeched, his voice going up a pitch at the end of his sentence.

The mirror on the opened door went flinging off in a random direction, causing us all to jump and turn around. Seto was running our way, and it wasn't looking good. He was at least a shade paler than he had been before. Wait. _Who the hell is fighting off the guards?!_

The crowd coming behind him was my answer, and I heard Bakura growl beside me. "Look, we don't have time for this! Just get in!"

Ryou was quick to follow the order, sliding open the back door and hopping in. We all followed his lead and piled in. I heard my Kindred hiss, but he seemed to be ignoring whatever he'd hissed about. I shut the door as Seto swung through the passenger door, the van roaring to life soon afterward. Malik had a little celebration (I suppose that's what you would call it) and slammed the driver door shut. His knuckles went white as he grabbed a hold of the wheel, his lips curling into a very scary grin.

"Alright, let's burn some rubber, bitches!" he cheered.

_Oh good, he knows how to dri-_

"W-Whoa, wait! When did you learn how to drive?!" My head snapped to my Kindred, eyes widening when I saw how pale he looked.

"I didn't, but better late than never!" His brother's reply had me turning as pale as Yuugi was. _Oh gods, we're dead..._

His foot slammed the accelerator and we were all thrown against the confines of the van. Panicked and surprised cries were heard both in _and_ out of the van. I now knew how a dog felt when trying to stand in a moving vehicle – this guy was _insane_! He continually honked the horn, turning and sliding as he attempted to avoid pedestrians. "Hey, outta the road! I'm trying to drive here!"

Marik and I stumbled over, the both of us falling once again as Malik jerked the steering wheel to the side. I was feeling very sick, and my vision was looking pretty messed up. I finally managed to get back to my feet once Malik had regained complete control over the vehicle.

"You alright?"

I looked up to see Ryou, his hand on Yuugi's arm. Instead of answering, my Kindred turned his head away. Something was bothering him, and whatever it was bothered Oscuridad to the point that he manifested himself on my shoulder.

_Os?_

He didn't answer me, which just showed how worried he really was. "What's up?"

Yuugi glanced in my direction, not really looking at me at all, which bothered me, _a lot._ It pissed me off that he turned away mumbling "nothing" as if I wasn't there or talking to him. However, I felt the torture going through his mind, so I kept myself calm, placing my hand on his arm to at least try and get his attention.

_I sense something in his spirit_.

I looked over at Oscuridad, his muzzle close to my face as he let me know what was up. _You mean his Bond?_

_Yeah. Something is wrong._

"_Yuugi_, what's wrong?" Something was seriously not right with my Kindred, and I wanted to know what it was. _**Why wouldn't he talk to me?!**_

He scoffed as he shrugged my hand away, his emotions changing ever so suddenly. He glared at the wall, looking unusually angry. "What does it matter?" He practically growled. "I'm just a _fool_, so far as you two are concerned."

I snapped my head towards Oscuridad at the accusation. _Is he talking about us? What'd you do?!_

_Me?! I've been silently perched on your shoulder! I didn't do anything!_ He screeched, narrowing his eyes at me.

The argument probably would have continued if Malik hadn't of hit a bump and tossed us all in the air. I heard my Kindred yelp, and out of reflex I grabbed hold of the only part I could reach – his arm – and pulled him close. Unfortunately it seemed as if he had an injury, with how he swatted me away and screamed at me to "be careful!"

The guard.

That bastard had hurt my Kindred, and been the cause of his agony yet again. If I ever caught him, he was dead. Struggling came from the front and we were suddenly engulfed in light from the outside. We were finally free, awa-

Something hit the back of the van, followed by many other noises. Yuugi was quick to get to the window, rolling it down and sticking his head out. "Yuugi, be careful!" I hissed. If that idiot got hurt again, I was going to send my foot straight up his ass.

"They're tailing us!"

My eyes widened slightly at the news, but I could easily fix that. I tried to gently move him aside, which ended with me pushing him out of the way as Malik hit another bump.

_Ready Os?_

_Hell yeah._

His figure faded from my shoulder and I could hear him preparing in the safety of our Soul. Smoke billowed from the corners of my mouth as I hung my head out the window. The dark fireball grew as I opened my mouth, preparing to fire it. Only to be cut off when my Kindred grabbed hold of my collar and yanked me back inside. I barely managed to shut my mouth to avoid blowing up the van! "What the _hell_ are you doing?!" I snarled, my anger making it hard to keep from showing my teeth.

"Don't you get pissy with me, Mister!" He snapped at me. _Mister? What the hell am I? Five? _"You can't just go around breathing fire wherever you damn well please! We're driving fast enough to kill down streets filled with pedestrians here, and they'll be in the line of fire – _literally_."

"But-" I tried to make a valid point about us being chased. Something _**had**_ to be done about that tail. But, he was letting me have no word in it.

"_No_, Yami!" The fire that erupted from our exchange of glares probably could've burned the whole city down. "We may have to do the kill-or-be-killed bull with Pegasus and his men, but I _refuse_ to let any innocent bystanders pay the price for us."

This idiot was going to get us captured again, and I'll be _damned _if I'm going back to that place. So, with a roll of my eyes I went back to the window. Before I could reach the window though the brat shoved me, causing me to stumble back into Marik and Ryou, who seemed very attentive with the brat in my face. "Fucking _listen to me_, you _pigheaded_ _brat_!" My eyes widened at his tone, and even Oscuridad refused to come out with the rage that filled those violet eyes. "Listen, whether I like it or not – which I _don't_ – we are in a position where we have to hurt or kill those horrible people. And I guess I'll have to accept it. But I _will not_ allow anyone I associate with kill unnecessarily! Whether it's an accident or not, hurting or killing anyone who isn't involved makes us _just as bad_ as Pegasus is! So shut the hell up and _listen_, and find a _logical_ solution; one that doesn't involve snapping someone's neck or burning them to a crisp; because it's either that, or so help me, I will _throw you_ _out the window_."

The discussion somewhat ended there when Malik began blaring and laying on the horn, screaming at random people to get out of the way. We all turned our heads at the sound of sirens, slowly growing louder. _Damn it. We can't get caught. We __**have **__to do __**something**_!

Yuugi looked at my brothers, his face seeming oddly calmer than any one else's. "Any bullets left?" My eyes narrowed as I watched him talk to them, I could almost _see_ the gears turning in that thick head of his. "Either of you a good shot?"

_Well, there went those gears..._ We just said we've been locked up for ten years... They almost got killed trying to figure out the damn guns... Did he think we were James Bond when we were six? I mentally facepalmed, sighing as I shook my head. I heard Os' laughter from somewhere within my soul. I saw what he imagined that looking like. I could hear the background music, and I had to hold back my laughter; now was _not _the time for that.

The annoying brunette stepped forward, grabbing the two pistols my brothers had stolen from the men I'd slaughtered. Her eyes were oddly cold compared to what they usually were. I watched her cautiously, Oscuridad teetering on the edge and ready to take over in case she tried to double cross us. I did owe her for saving my Kindred back at the facility, but I would _not_ hesitate to kill her if need be. "If you can cover me, I can get these guys off our tail."

I had to blink to register what she had just said. _Wait... She's going to get them off of us?_

"Shit – _hold on to something_!" Malik suddenly yelled, jerking the wheel to the side to avoid a car that had shot into our path. _Yuugi!_ I quickly grabbed hold of him, pulling him against me as we slammed down on our side in the van. My elbow slammed into the ground _hard_ under him, but thanks to Oscuridad's quick thinking, I avoided breaking it.

"_Damn it_ there's more of them!" Seto growled, gripping his seat with white knuckled hands.

"How many more?!" Bakura shouted back.

"Your guess is as good as mine!"

_Great. Now what?_

I looked to Yuugi, he seemed to be the only one thinking rationally. I did not see his next statement coming though. "Take out the tires."

I blinked. _Did my Kindred jump off the deep end?_ "What?"

"Take out the tires," he repeated, a grin splitting his face in half. "Anzu! Use the ammo we have left, and aim for the tires of those cars! If they have a flat, they can't drive well; and if they can't drive well, they'll lose ground. And when we get far enough ahead-!"

"We can find a way to ditch them, and get away without being caught!" She finished for him. _Great, I'm in a car with a bunch of fucking lunatics, but hey, let's all grin like escaped mental patients... That'll be helpful.._ "But what about them? They've got to have guns of their own with them. Or what if they Merge with their Ka?" _Well, there's some of the brains returning..._

"Yami or Seto will go out there with you." I almost choked on the air I had breathed in, only to be growled _and_ glared at by my Kindred. "For the love of – your Ka are _dragons_, for God's sake! The scales should be more than enough to keep you safe for a little while."

"Says you, kid," Seto barked back at him, his face set in a hard glare. "_You_ didn't have to try and fend off two dozen of those creeps by yourself like I did! And _you_ didn't have to use yourself as a shield like Yami!" I watched as Seto scanned over Yuugi, my possessive side coming out as my jaw clamped together. "Hell, I haven't seen you even _bothering_ to pull your own weight around here! After what you did to Kemo, I'd expect more of a backbone from you!"

I watched Yuugi wince from the statement, I held back the snarl but tightened my grip on him while sending a glare at Seto. "Watch it, Kaiba, you're talking to my Kindred here!" I growled.

"Well if he's so eager to toss us into the line of fire, why shouldn't _he_ make some kind of sacrifice instead? It's his fucking idea!" Seto knew my temper was a dangerous thing to toy with, so of course he'd try to twist it with some kind of reasoning so he could get away with pushing my buttons.

"I'd love to, but I can't," Yuugi sighed.

_Can't?_

_I told you I sensed something. Something isn't right in his Bond. It's like his Ka is no longer responding._

My eyes narrowed slightly. _Just what the hell happened between them?_

"Well why the hell not? Look, I _saw_ you almost get burnt to a crisp back in that garage! If it weren't for Mazaki, you'd either be dead or locked back up in that place. Why didn't you just Merge with your Ka? Are you too scared to do it? Does it go against your goodie-two-shoes morals? Wake up and smell the roses, shrimp – we're _wanted fugitives_ now, and will be so long as those psychopaths are still breathing!"

He was really pushing his luck talking to _my_ Kindred like that. Oscuridad's chest rumbled with a low growl, a warning towards the brunette to shut the fuck up.

"No, that's not it, I-!"

"Then what is it? I'm not going to risk my hide for some dead weight!"

"Kaiba, shut the hell up!" I finally snapped, holding Oscuridad back until it was necessary.

Yuugi reached up, his hand gripping the fabric over his chest where his heart lay. I held back a wince at the pain that throbbed through me. "I just _can't_ Kaiba, okay? Now can we stop arguing, before we're either shot or arrested?!"

"Just Merge with your Ka, then! If you're so willing to toss others into harm's way-"

"I _can't_!"

"Why can't you?!"

"My _Ka_ isn't _here_ right now!" My head snapped back to my Kindred as he took a stance with one hand against the inner wall of the van. "Arceus cut himself off from me, and he _isn't fucking here_, okay?! So I can't do a goddamn thing to help unless you want a _corpse_ to throw at their windshield!" I watched with wide eyes as Yuugi stormed over to Seto, and actually got in his face. His finger poked into the brunette's chest. "I'll make it up when I can, but right now I don't feel like dying or being thrown back in a room for the rest of my life; _and_, unless we're all fine-and-dandy with her getting a bullet between the eyes the moment she shows her face, I don't want Anzu to go up there without some kind of backup! So unless you want that to happen to everyone in here, will you _please_ just _shut the hell up_ and do what I tell you to!"

He whipped around towards me, and I couldn't look away. Apparently, his anger wasn't anything to be trifled with either... "Kaiba will cover you and Oscuridad while you keep Anzu safe." He said, turning back around to face Seto before he continued. "If anyone tries to sneak up on him from behind, I want you to light them up like a firework gone wrong. But _do not_ attack the police officers. They're just doing their job to keep a couple cars full of lunatics from hurting or killing any Domino citizens. We'll stick to taking out the tires with them. Anything else goes with Pegasus and his goons. Use your claws to dig into the metal of the roof and keep your balance. Got it?"

I couldn't do anything but blink. He'd come up with a plan, and everything, but his Ka had cut himself off? You mean the weeks they'd spent separate hadn't been enough?! What the hell was wrong with him?

_We can worry about it later, Yami. Yuugi's right, we have other issues at hand._

_Right._

"Some time _today_ would be very much appreciated, thank you!" My Kindred practically growled, pulling me from my own thoughts.

_Lets do it Os._

_You've got it,_ he chuckled, his scales running up my arms as he took control once again. Ryou opened the door as I fell forward, eyes closing while my body began to shift. When I opened them once again Oscuridad had limited his growth to fit inside the van, leaving just enough room to not crush anyone. He looked towards the brunette as he stepped up to the door, jerking his head and telling her to "hop on."

She quickly climbed on, holding on tight as Os opened his wings, spinning out away from the van but looping upwards to latch his talons into the roof. Seto was quick to join us, completing his Merge as he reached the roof. The wind whipped around us, and Oscuridad blocked oncoming bullets with his wings as Anzu sat up, one eye closing as she aimed for the vehicles behind us.

The van was jerked to the side and Oscuridad flicked his tail to keep his balance, Cerberus was having a bit more difficulty with his bigger body. _What the hell is going on inside that van? Do they not think dodging bullets was enough of a challenge?_

"_Hard left_!" Yuugi screamed out the window, allowing us to at least ground ourselves before we were slung around. Different types of vehicles were following us, five with sirens and lights, while four others were just chasing us to capture us once again. Anzu fired, busting the tire of the cruiser out in front. Oscuridad decided it was time to help take them out, and whipped his tail forward, letting a couple spikes go and catching the front tires of the next vehicle. Our wing folded up to shield the brunette when both a goon and a police officer pulled out their guns and shot. I heard Seto give a bellow before he leaped off the van, causing the vehicle he landed on to swerve away.

These goddamn cruisers were still in my damn way! I wanted to break those black cars into tiny pieces. A flick of the tail finally gave me what I'd been waiting for. My face split with a grin. _Let's go, Os._

_Don't have to tell me twice!_ he replied with a chuckle.

I felt the brunette slip from my back just before I began lowering myself. These guys were going to pay for everything they'd done. Oscuridad pushed himself forward, diving recklessly at the three remaining vehicles. One swerved to avoid us, only to meet a really tall building and go up in a ball of flames. The other two were forced to topple around on the asphalt with us.

* * *

I watched as Seto flew low to the ground as he tried to catch up to our escape van. Oscuridad smashed his talons down, frightening the men in one car as he barely pushed in the ceiling. He loved to toy with people when he was angry with them. He pressed down a little harder before deciding to stop toying with them. He smashed the roof of the car in, not leaving anything but a giant blood stain, which was soon 'washed' away with a fireball.

The other car was crushed under our front foot as we turned to walk away, not giving the men time to react at all.

Our wings spread, picking up on the direction of the wind as we jumped into the air, spinning to follow after the van. The roof groaned under our weight once we landed, Oscuridad releasing his control back to me as I grabbed hold of the luggage rack and swung back inside, the door closing behind me.

I was met with a strong embrace, which caught me off guard. I hadn't been shown any kind of attention like this since I was six. What the hell was I supposed to do? So, I just stood there, my arms out to my sides, allowing him to hold on as long as he needed to.

He finally looked up at me, his eyes glistening with worry. "Are you okay?"

I blinked a few times before I was able to register what he'd said, to which I answered with a nod.

"Good," he chirped happily, which did _not_ give me any warning to his next action. He snatched hold of my ear, pulling me down to eye level, and causing me to yelp at the pressure that was put on my ear. "What the _hell_ were you thinking, you _idiot_?! You almost killed Anzu with that stunt back there! Next time make sure any allies are _inside_ the van _before_ you decide to take a flying leap!"

"Alright, _alright_, Jesus, I'm _sorry_! Fucking let go!"

He barked a "thank you!", which sounded a lot like it held a secret threat. Probably a promise to kick my ass later.

I rubbed my ear as I stood up straight with a "you're welcome!", letting him know I'd gladly return the favor.

"Dick."

"Brat."

"And _this_, ladies and gentlemen, is what love is like." My older brother chuckled from the front seat.

"Shut the hell up, Marik" Malik growled, focusing on the road in front of him.

"Yes, Malik." _We're just getting told off left and right..._

I heard Bakura whisper "_whipped_" before a hard glare from Ryou sent him clamping his mouth shut with a grin.

Yuugi leaned back, a chuckle escaping his lips which was soon echoed by everyone but my brothers and myself. Not that I didn't like the sound from him, _but just what the hell was so funny_? I sighed, shaking my head with a smile of my own. So much built up and stored tension, and anger, and need-to-survive attitude, just fell away. Well, a little bit of it, not all. We still weren't safe.

I looked up and noticed where we were. Everything looked so aged, and charred, or just broken. _Os? Did we do this?_

_I'm afraid so, Yami. Or at least, some of it... The rest has worn from age and lack of care._

I could do nothing but stare. I didn't even remember any of it. But... Somehow I knew, I was the one responsible for these buildings looking the way they did. The one that turned the sidewalks and streets to rubble._ I_ had caused _all_ of this...

I still wasn't sure if the others were still alive or not. I knew one of them were still alive, thanks to Seto secretly giving us messages from her. But as for the others... I didn't know how many of them survived our apocalyptic attack on Old Domino. Oscuridad appeared on my shoulder once again, sensing my own inner turmoil this time. _Yami, Pegasus caused all this._

_It was my hands that did it though... Maybe if I would've ran with my brothers, they would've chased us, and she would still be here..._

He opened his mouth and bit down on my ear. "Ow!"

_You can't keep blaming yourself for what happened. Stop worrying about the what-ifs and the would've-beens. You need to focus on the path ahead of yo-_

"_Don't you fucking dare_" Yuugi hissed, causing us both to turn and look at him. I realized that everyone was staring at him, and held back a chuckle when his face went red. "It's nothing," he mumbled, seemingly back to normal.

_Well, that was odd._

_No, his Ka has come back_. Oscuridad informed me, and I looked back over to him. With the side he was sitting on, I could see out the windshield, where a turn was coming up. But... we weren't turning...

"Crap, Malik, watch the freaking road!" Yuugi screamed, before I was able to say anything.

The brakes squealed as Malik slammed the pedal. "_Shit_!"

We were dead... There was no way we were going to survive being wrapped around a lamp post. The van jerked to the side, and we were all thrown off our feet.

_Oh gods, we're going to die!_

Just as the thought entered my mind, I closed my eyes and I realized that this was the end. It was all over. Our escape, now it was all pointless, we were just going to die anyways. But, I guess that's how fate really works... I suddenly felt like a warm blanket had been wrapped around me. Great, now I was dying... _Well, that was surprisingly painless_...

I heard the smash before I opened my eyes.

_W-We're not dead?!_

I heard Oscuridad groan, though he was uninjured, just shaken up a bit. _I-I think we're okay..._

_Think?_

_Yeah... I might be motion sick for a bit..._ I heard him grunt as if holding back bile, before I left him laying there to compose himself. When I opened my eyes Yuugi, Seto, and Ryou had climbed out and Ryou was screaming something as he ran forward, but the others still lay around me, either unconscious or just beginning to get up. I noticed something shimmering in the direction Ryou was screaming. _Just what the hell had happened?_

_Yami! Something is wrong! Yuugi is weak! Very weak!_

"_What?!_"

I quickly scrambled out of the wreckage, helping everyone else once I saw that Ryou and Seto were taking care of Yuugi. Once everyone was out I made my way over, listening to the conversation as I approached. "So you don't have any other experience, besides that?" It was quiet for a moment, so I guessed Yuugi was answering him with a nod or shake of his head. "Then why the _hell_ would you cast a spell like that?! You could have fucking _killed_ _yourself_!"

I was close enough now to see Yuugi's hands shakily go up to cover his ears from Seto's shouting. He wasn't looking too good, and his skin was pale. "Kaiba, what do you think you're doing?" I almost growled, not very happy with how he was talking to my Kindred. Seto moved to the side enough for me to see Yuugi's face, and I felt myself go pale. "Sh-Shit – Yuugi, are you crying _blood_?!" Panic shot through me; what the hell had happened?!

Seto leaned in close to examine him, and I felt Yuugi's discomfort more than I saw it. Seto was close enough that he was about to be rewarded with a kick to the side of the head.

"Looks like it's stopped... might've just been one tear, from when his Ka was still manifested." (_So that's what that shimmering was_) He sighed as he sat back. He turned back towards me before continuing. "Your boyfriend decided to cast an expert-level protection spell to keep us all safe during the crash. Granted, we probably wouldn't be walking away from this if he hadn't, but the idiot hasn't had _any_ practice with his casting beforehand. So his body is going through an overload from using too much magic."

I looked over to Yuugi with a questioning look as he busted into a fit of giggles. His hand smacked over his mouth to try and stop them, but he just couldn't stop, for some odd reason.

"Don't worry," Seto said, earning my attention once again. "It makes you kind of loopy at first. At least when it's at this degree. As long as he doesn't start bleeding from the eyes again, or the ears, he should be alright."

There was a moment's pause, before my Kindred decided to break it. "I'm... Leggo, Ryou," Yuugi attempted to speak properly, but looked more than a little intoxicated. This was bad – we couldn't afford for him to be all fucked up at a time like _this_! "'M fine, 'kay? Jus'... 'm jus' fine."

Ryou let go as Yuugi wished him to do, and he flopped over to one side before even making an attempt to get up. He rolled his eyes up to look at me, and I wasn't even sure what was going on anymore. All I knew was that Yuugi had saved us, but almost killed himself in the process. I didn't know if I wanted to punch him for being stupid, or kiss him for saving our lives. I decided to go with Plan C, and just wait until later to decide. "I... I think tha' I broke my brain..." He said, bringing me from my thoughts before he broke out into laughter again. "I. Am. Broken!"

I heard snickering. "'Ey!" He suddenly yelled, causing me start a little until I saw the finger pointed towards my brothers. They were completely frozen, probably scared of what was to come. "...you _shuddup_."

The brat managed to sit up finally, only to have blood start dripping from his nose, which he wiped away with his sleeve. Malik crouched down to take care of the bloody nose. "Wha...?"

"How long is he going to be like... _this_?" The younger one questioned as Yuugi began to giggle once again.

I looked over to Seto who shrugged "Anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Just be glad he's acting like this. If he fell asleep, he wouldn't have woken up. And if he was pissed, we'd all be blown sky high by his leftover magic by now."

My eyes widened a bit, as I looked back to my Kindred. "Is he like... so tired he's drunk, or something?" Bakura asked.

"Not exactly; the overload affects someone's physical abilities – like being able to control laughter, keep from crying, walking normally, their sense of balance, speech, etcetera – but their mental processes usually remain intact."

Malik had let go of Yuugi's nose, the bleeding stopping for the time being.

"So..." Ryou piped up, "He's _completely_ aware of what's going on right now? And he just... can't control it?"

"Eee_yup_!" Yuugi answered, his comment coming out like more of a hiccup. He swayed to the side, and his brothers managed to save him from hitting the ground once again. The other brunette of the group snapped her fingers, earning everyone's attention as she grabbed Yuugi's focus.

"Does your head hurt?" she asked, and Yuugi nodded his head, all his attention on her. "Feel numb anywhere?" He shook his head in denial. "Do you think you can stand?"

"Maybe...?"

Ryou and Malik carefully helped him up, but he was still a lot like a newborn foal, one that was just learning how to walk. I kept on my guard, catching him as his knees buckled, helping him back to his feet. He was finally able to stand, though he was still a little wobbly. Anzu went on to explain that Yuugi and his Ka – Arceus – weren't able to Merge for the time being, that included partially. "And make sure," she said, turning to face the three of us – Malik, Ryou, and myself. "that if he needs help walking, or anything like that, you don't carry him unless it's a last resort. The movement should help clear up his head a little bit and get everything back into order a little faster. So try to not baby him too much."

Sirens caught everyone's attention, and we realized it was time to move again.

"C'mon, I know a place we can lay low at until the heat dies down."

Everyone began to walk, and as I turned around I was met with arms around my waist from a stumbling Yuugi. The way he looked at me, I knew he was trying his best to do it on his own, but he was still disoriented. "Help me? Please?"

I softened, only for him, wrapping my arm around his waist as we continued to walk away. We would be running for the rest of our lives, unless Pegasus was killed and the organization shut down. But, we had each other, and we were free once again. I wouldn't allow them to take my Kindred away – they would have to kill me to separate us, and I knew Yuugi felt the same way.

* * *

The sirens continued to grow gradually louder. We weren't going to be able to keep walking, we were going to have to run. "Seto, we can't keep walking," I yelled.

"We have a disoriented moron with us-"

"Hey!"

"Don't worry about Yuugi, I'll handle him."

Yuugi pouted at me. "Really? No disagreements with his statement?" he grumbled, sulking a little.

"I'll correct him later. We need to get moving."

I kept my arm around his waist as we began running, putting my other hand out in front to stop him from falling every time he would stumble. We ran a good three blocks before I realized just how much energy was draining from me by keeping him upright. I had to stop. I couldn't breathe anymore.

"Yami?!" Yuugi yelped, barely managing to stop himself on my back as I bent down, my hands on my knees in an attempt to breathe regularly. Unfortunately I wasn't able to support both our weights, because we both tumbled to the ground in a panting heap. My legs were shaking, and I was covered in sweat, so was Yuugi, which made the dog pile so much more uncomfortable.

"Ugh... Yuugi... It's too hot..."

"Sorry, I fell..."

"How are you feeling?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at him.

He stared at me for a minute, seemingly lost in thought before giving me his answer. "Besides feeling too hot, I'm okay. I feel a lot better."

"Well, do you think you'll be able to walk on your own?"

"Y-Yeah. I should be okay."

"You two alright?" Seto asked, jogging back over to us.

"Yeah, just tripped into each other."

We both managed to make it to our feet, before running along with everyone again. We continued to twist and turn down back roads, hearts pounding (well, those of us with hearts), feet thumping as they hit the broken pavement. We ran so far, so fast, that it caught up to us all at once when the adrenaline faded. Seto faltered after a while.

"O-Ok..ay.. We... We gotta stop," Seto panted.

"Agreed," Malik groaned, falling on his back in a pile, while Ryou fell on top of him.

"I'm with them," Marik groaned, he and Bakura collapsing to the side. Seto and Anzu took a seat on a pile of bricks that had fallen from the top of a nearby building.

I stood hunched over, panting from the run that we'd done. We all stayed that way for a while, just trying to catch up with what our adrenaline had provided us with. I straightened my back once I caught my breath, and it was then that something hit me. "Where the hell is Yuugi?"

Everyone looked at me, before glancing over our surroundings. "Where did he go?" Bakura asked, whipping his head back and forth.

"Wasn't he just right here?" Malik chimed in, seemingly surprised that his brother just vanished into thin air.

_Os? You think you can track him like you did back in the facility?_

_I can try. There are a lot more scents out here than there were in there. But, I'll do my best._

_That's all I ask of you._

Oscuridad manifested taking on the size of a small dog with is muzzle pressed to the ground. He lifted his head, turning it side to side as he sniffed, everyone else watching (well, to them he probably just looked like a cloud) as he attempted to track down our Kindred. He kept stopping every few steps or so, the other scents around him making it difficult to single out Yuugi's in the mix. He suddenly halted in front of me, causing me to topple over him. "Ouch! What's the big id-"

I stopped mid-sentence when I saw his pupils shrink, his eyes lighting with a violent rage as his muzzle rippled back to show off his dagger-sharp teeth. His apparition faded, and he took over my hands and feet, his horns piercing from my skull and his tail flicking out behind me. Before I could ask, he told me what was wrong, and I allowed him to lead the way.

_Yuugi is in danger. Something is attacking him._

My left eye changed, the pupil elongating to that of a very narrow diamond before he launched us forward. We ran quite a ways away from the others before I spotted Yuugi ahead. He was injured and laying on his side, his attacker was posed to strike again.

"_Get your fucking hands off of him!_" Oscuridad roared, tackling the person to the ground. A punch to the eye and jaw sent him stumbling back. But Oscuridad didn't think that was enough, so he slashed at the man, leaving claw marks on his cheek.

"Alright! I give!"

"Yami! Don't kill him!" Seto yelled as he came up behind me.

"Yami?"

I cleared my head, eying the attacker suspiciously before the accent brought back a memory. "Jou? What the hell did you attack my Kindred for?!"

"Sorry! He startled me! A-And I didn't know he was with you!" He said, throwing his hands up in surrender.

"Then why don't you grow a pair, and _ask_!" I growled, returning to my Kindred.

I lifted Yuugi by his upper arms, hoping not to jostle any injuries he may have acquired. A set of claws injected themselves into my upper arms and I held back a scream. "It hurts. It hurts! Yami, it _hurts_!"

I tried to search for the source of his pain, sending my own calming mental waves to him. The talons slowly pulled themselves from my arms as I soothed him. I spotted blood pooling down and around his leg, following it up to the weapon that had caused all the harm. I pulled his face against my chest to get a better angle so I could pull it out. "Sorry," I whispered before quickly ripping the metal from his leg.

He whimpered quietly in my arms, and I knew it hurt him. It'd been in there pretty deep! I ripped off my right sleeve, tying it around his leg to stop, or at least slow, the bleeding so we could make it to our destination. I carefully picked him up, holding back a shiver when I felt my own blood leaking from the tiny holes in my arms. Oscuridad appeared on my shoulder, watching over Yuugi as I carried him.

"It's okay, we're gonna get you home."

He sighed, seeming content as he leaned his head against my chest, letting his eyes droop shut as we walked onward.

_He seems very comfortable in your arms._

_No offense, but I'd rather not carry him. It's never good when I have to carry him. Just like now; he's injured and we're on the run. We don't have time for him to keep getting injured._

_You keep up the 'I don't want to get close' act, but I can see it in your face, too. Also, we're soul partners, I know exactly what you're feeling. And right now, you're loving the feel of him in your arms._

_Sh-Shut up!_

My Ka disappeared with a chuckle, knowing he'd gotten me there. Damn brat, always getting me in deeper than I wanna be.

I looked down at his sleeping face as we continued walking, feeling my features soften as I watched him. His lips were parted slightly, allowing his breath to flow out evenly and quietly with a little '_huff_' every so often. He had washed the blood from his features, so his pale skin was shining. His hair was a little messy from the scuffle with Jou, but the golden locks still framed his face, and his violet-tipped, ebony tresses spiked up, just as they were supposed to. No one would dare change his appearance; I wouldn't let them like they had mine.

Violet eyes lay motionless behind closed lids, and Oscuridad was right, he seemed to be in complete bliss laying in my arms. _Totally worth all the trouble, to just hold you like this,_ I thought to myself, resisting the urge to squeeze him even closer, out of fear of waking him. _Rest well, Yuugi._

* * *

We walked for who knows how long before we came upon a house that sat out in the middle of – literally – nowhere. Nothing but a bunch of half-torn-down houses and rubble. The only thing that stood out was a slightly-less-worn-down house, which we were standing in front of. It didn't look like much – the paint on the door was chipped, and the only window out front had a lot of cracks in it. "Where are we?"

"Well, this is our Healer's house. But she probably won't be here until morning," Seto informed us. "She went down to check on everyone, so you guys will have to deal with basic first aid until she comes back."

"That's fine. I'm only worried about Yuugi at this point. I don't think any of us others are really too bad."

"Yami," Ryou said, earning my attention. "Y-You're bleeding..."

"Oh, yeah, Yuugi got me. But it's fine."

"N-No. N-Not your arms... Your chest has blood on it..."

He looked ridiculously paler than I'd thought he originally was. As I looked down, I figured out why. One of the gashes on my chest had opened back up in our escape, and now, not only did I have blood on me, but I had gotten blood on Yuugi, too. Although, I hadn't felt it reopen, nor I had I felt the stitch rip away.

_Even I didn't feel that one..._

"Hm... I didn't even feel it rip open..."

"With all the adrenaline that was pumping through all of us, I'm not surprised. We were running for our lives, so a stitch tearing away wasn't one of your worries."

"Ya guys look terrible... Jus' what th' hell happened?"

"We escaped Hell, that's what happened. Let's just get inside and get cleaned up. I need to get this blood off Yuugi, or he'll have a fit when he wakes up."

Seto lead the way into the house, the rest of us following along behind him. The room opened up to the front and right of us, and it looked bigger on the inside than it did out. There was a some kind of half-wall that a couch was lined against, splitting the space between a living room, and a dining room/kitchen area. There was a hallway directly across from that banister on the left. "There's a bathroom and some bedrooms over there-" he pointed towards the hallway "-where you can lay him down." He paused, motioning at me before continuing. "The kitchen's back there, but there probably isn't much in it; she lives here alone, so most of the food she gets is taken to the others. And here's the living room, so you can go sit and relax. I'll bring out some clothes that she has to offer, and if you need to wash, there's a shower. I recommend getting your open wounds cleaned before they get infected."

I ignored him as I carried Yuugi into the first bedroom, about a quarter way down the hall, and set him on the bed. He seemed reluctant to let go of me, which I found both cute, and awkward. It was like trying to pry a child from your waist without waking them. _A lot like I used to be with..._ I stopped my thoughts short. I wasn't going to get into that right now. I knew Oscuridad was listening, as his growl rumbled through my head.

_I'm fine._

_So you say..._

He let it drop at that, knowing that arguing about it wouldn't make it better. _You should go clean up. Seto is right, you could get an infection._

_I'll take care of myself later. Yuugi has a cut too, and I want to make sure he's alright._

Before I went to mending his wound, I had his brothers change him from the jumpsuit into new boxers and a long shirt. I wasn't too sure he'd appreciate me being the one to change him, so I made them do it. Once they were done we got his wound cleaned and wrapped – with some help from Anzu – as best we could. We didn't have any sterilized needles – or any needles at all, for that matter – to stitch it up, so we did our best to stop the bleeding without cutting off circulation. It would suffice until the Healer got there in the morning. I would make sure he survived until then.

"You should take care of yourself now. Yuugi won't be too happy if he wakes up and you're covered in blood," the brunette said softly, staring absently at the white sheets on the bed. She turned her head, focusing her turquoise eyes on me. "I'll help bandage up those arms of yours, too. I bet it burns, even though you didn't bother to make any noise when he did it."

"He didn't mean to. Besides, I've felt worse..."

"So I've heard..." She sighed quietly before she got up and left the room, leaving me to sit there. I sat in the middle on the edge of the bed, watching as Yuugi slept on. I know I needed to go clean up, but I didn't want to leave him alone.

"I'll watch him for ya."

I turned to see Bakura standing in the doorway. He had changed into a striped navy blue and white, short sleeve shirt with a long black coat over top, the collar standing up to hide his neck. He wore light blue jeans, and white tennis shoes, his hair seemingly neater, however still spiking out like it always had. "You need to clean up and be taken care of. I'm sure it's not very clean where the others are. So, I'll watch Yuugi. Don't worry, Ryou will sit here with me so one of us can come get you if anything goes wrong."

"Thanks, 'Kura."

"Not a problem. Now, go clean up."

I chuckled as I walked past him, brushing by Ryou as I headed for the bathroom. "Hey!" I heard my oldest brother shout, causing me to turn around. Marik stood a few feet off, and had yet to change. "Here, I thought these would fit you. And I'm sure you'll wanna hide most of those scars, at least to avoid too many questions."

I caught the clothes he threw at me with a smile "It's almost like you're my brother or something..."

"Shut up stupid, and go shower."

I laughed as I closed the door, setting down the pile of stuff Marik had tossed me. I noticed a belt-like collar with it, reminding me that we were still wearing the damned things. _Hey Os, think you can get this thing off now?_

_I can try. But no promises. I don't want those spikes pressing too far into your neck.._

_As long as you try it._

He took over my hands, his talons carefully squeezing between my neck and the collar. He began to count to three from one, and with a snap of his wrist, and a clench of his hands, the collar snapped off. The spikes barely had time to press against my neck before it snapped in half, falling to floor. _There you go._

_Thanks, Os._

I came out of the bathroom after getting cleaned up, leaving the long sleeve shirt off so my arms and chest could be wrapped up. Once I was done with being bandaged I pulled the shirt over my head. It was a brown, long sleeve v-neck shirt, dipping down low enough to show off a little bit of my chest, but high enough that it didn't reveal the bandages around my body. I had rolled the sleeves up on it, so they stopped at my elbows and not my wrists. The jeans I wore were dark blue, faded with a bit of a dirty tint to them. They had a hand-made hole in the knee, and the bottoms were a bit frayed, strings hanging down over the black boots I was wearing. A new collar was around my neck, this one was black with silver studs on it, hiding the scars from where the spikes had attempted to press into my neck.

Yuugi still had yet to wake up, so I grabbed a chair, turned it backwards, and sat by his bedside, waiting for him to open his eyes. I didn't know how much time passed, but the sun had gone down a while ago, and I was starting to feel the day's events take their toll on me. I nodded off in the chair, my arms wrapped around the back of it, supporting my head, and my feet keeping me from falling forward as I drifted off.

* * *

I woke up to the sun peeking through the curtains, and cerulean eyes looking at me curiously. I jerked back, slightly spooked by the woman in my face. It'd been a while since I'd last seen her, but I recognized who she was. "I-Ishizu? You startled me."

"Sorry. I was in the middle of looking you over. I thought you would stay asleep like your Kindred did."

"Oh..." I answered dumbly. I stretched from the chair once she was done looking me over. We both exited the bedroom and walked out to stand with everyone else. Or, well, mostly everyone. It seemed our lighter counterparts were still sleeping peacefully.

Ishizu pulled out a homemade first aid kit, which had a small container of needles in it, a lighter, some thick stitching thread, a bunch of ointments, band-aids, and gauze wraps. She burnt a needle before making me sit down, sterilizing it in a bowl that had some kind of liquid in it (still not sure what it was). I laid back enough so she could see what she was doing, watching her as she cut away the old gauze wrap and began her work. Her stitching work was a lot neater than the facility worker's messy clean up, which seemed to bother her, if the furrowing of her brows was anything to go by.

"I see they didn't take very good care of you," she hissed, the needle going back under my skin as she continued to work. "I'm surprised you're as calm as you are, Yami."

"I've suffered a lot worse, Ishizu."

"I can tell. I saw the scars, scratches, and bruises." She made a face that I couldn't tell if it was angry, or disgusted. Maybe a mixture of the two.

"It wasn't exactly a vacation or anything, in there."

"I'm well aware. I see the others aren't as bad as you though."

"That's because Pegasus managed to get a hold of me before we were able to escape. If not for Yuugi nearly killing Kemo, I wouldn't be here."

I heard Jou gulp, and looked over to see his visage go pale. "Something wrong, Jou?"

"U-Uh... Um... N-No.. N-Not at all... Um... You don't think he'll come after me again, right?"

"Who knows, now that he's healed," I teased, pulling my shirt back over my head. The blonde's face had bruises on the eye and cheek, his lip was busted open and had dried blood on it. Along with some lovely little marks from my Kindred, and my own claw marks on his other cheek. _Was slicing open his cheek necessary, Os?_

_Absolutely_ he answered, unashamed of hurting a comrade. _He'll learn in time not to touch our Kindred. The result, will leave him hurting for weeks to come._

_Figured you'd say something like that._ I chuckled, walking around him and towards the back of the room where the closet was. I figured I'd pull out some clothes that I thought would fit the brat and take them into the room for him to have when he got up.

On my way back into the room the door slammed open, and I was run into, barely able to balance myself, let alone the one who'd charged me. "Whoooaaa," I chuckled, grabbing a hold of Yuugi's forearms to balance us both. I saw how angry he looked, and noticed his sights were set on Jou – who was hiding behind Seto out of fear. Otherwise, the two would be at each other's throats. "Jou is friend, not foe," I told him, attempting to calm him.

"He has a funny way of showing it! He attacked me!" He snarled, promising to rip Jou apart if he ever got his hands on him.

"And he has paid dearly for that," I said, my voice low as I looked him in the eyes.

His eyes widened for a fraction of a moment before he actually took a good look at Jou. He seemed to have noticed all the marks on him. "You didn't think the black eye and busted lip was enough?" He asked with a smirk.

"Oscuridad didn't seem to think so." I chuckled, turning my head back towards him. "How's your leg?"

"Better. What happened?"

"Ishizu happened," I told him pointing towards the corner where his youngest brother was squeezing the Egyptian, crying his eyes out.

"Oh..." I remembered why I'd been heading this way in the first place. I bent down to pick up the clothes I'd dropped, secretly looking him over as I lowered myself. His legs looked soft to the touch, and his feet were adorable. Yeah, feet can be adorable, that or some of Yuugi's broken-ness wore off on me. "I brought these for you to try on. I figured that you'd want a little more to cover yourself with."

I couldn't help my eyebrows going up and the smirk that crossed my face at the comment. But the look on his face, and the color of red he turned, was well worth embarrassing him. He let out a squeak before he snatched the clothes and ran for cover back in the bedroom.

I walked out of the house, stopping on the porch to sit while I waited for the others. Oscuridad popped up next to me, keeping me company while we waited. The sun was still pretty low, just coming up to start a new day. _A free day. _One where I didn't have to worry about my brothers or my Kindred being taken away from me to be tortured.

Someone stepped out on the porch, and it wasn't until they sat down next to me that I saw it was Yuugi. "You seem pretty distant. What's on your mind?"

I stared at him for what felt like forever, before I sighed, looking down at the ground. I had been such a jerk to him, and in return, he'd saved my life. He'd given me freedom, and I had done nothing in return. "I'm sorry," I told him, feeling utterly guilty, and like complete crap.

"Huh?"

I couldn't look at him, I honestly didn't feel like I deserved to. "I'm sorry... For everything..."

I finally looked over when his hand touched my arm, looking up to meet a smiling face. "Being sorry gets you nowhere in this world. So stop being sorry."

I smiled, despite the circumstances. I couldn't help it, his smart ass mouth, and sassy attitude, they always managed to take me by surprise. Even though right now, he was being none of those things. He seemed very sincere in his words, and just genuinely happy to be here, or happy for some odd reason. I chuckled lightly. "I'm gonna punch your smart ass in the mouth... With my mouth... But softly... Because I like you..."

Not only was my face hot, but his warmed up pretty quickly too, before he shoved me lightly. "Idiot," he chuckled, rolling his eyes playfully as the others came out of the house.

"Ready to move?" someone asked.

We exchanged looks, silently agreeing that it was time to get going. "Yeah, let's go," I answered.

* * *

**Nickey: So anyway, there's the end of that... We're finally getting into some puzzle loves ^w^ Fallen's laptop has been on the fritz, but I'll do my best to help her fix that... In the mean time, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter... it's been re-edited a million and five times (I don't mean that to be literal, but it just might be) and we'll see ya next time with Fallen's chapter. Until next time everyone! * waves * Goodbye!**

_Fallen: Yup. As Nickey said, laptop on the fritz (it's got one computer-foot in the grave and another on a banana peel), plus this summer has been... much busier than expected. A lot of trips for me, so far. *laughs* But I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, despite the fact that I posted it really late... sorry again._

_Oh! And a smidge of shameless self-promotion, if I may: I am re-vamping another, much older story of mine, called **Shattered**! I'll be posting the updated versions of chapters I've already written, as well as the first **new **chapter this story's had in the better part of two years. I'd be **immensely** grateful if you guys would give it a quick glance once I update everything :) It'll be sometime during July 1st, and I **hope** to try and do either bi-weekly or monthly updates for it._

_Anyways, that's all. See you guys n' gals in the next chapter! Stay safe! :D_


	14. Solace

**Nickey: What's up you bitches! :D lol I apologize. I haven't been on FFN in weeks, except to check out the reviews for Kindred, of course... My own stories have come to a halt because I just can't make up my mind which fic I'm working on XD aside from the ones on FFN, I also have about 20 others just chilling and coming along slowly... So anyway, Kindred is going again... Sort of... Don't worry, I'm going to be kicking Fallen's ass back into gear so we can get back on schedule... Maybe XD …. Well, enjoy the chapter, cuz I have nothing else to put up here... This is Fallen's chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it from Yuugi's POV...**

_Fallen: Hey, everybody! *ducks to dodge rotten tomatoes* I know, I know, this is hella late. I'm sorry, everyone. But life has been **super** busy the past couple months. I had to drive to Nevada/California for an aunt's wedding, I went on a trip to Mount St. Helens with my family, I've been doing a lot of shopping in preparation for school to start again... on Wednesday... *cries*_

_And hell, tomorrow some friends and I are headed to PAX Prime in Seattle! Those, amongst many other things I'll spare you from, have made me more than a little preoccupied. Thanks for your patience and support thus far, though! Enjoy!_

* * *

****DISCLAIMER: Nickey and I do not own, nor are we affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! nor anything pretaining to Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a fan-made story made purely for entertainment purposes, and nothing more. Enjoy!****

* * *

_****~ Chapter XIV ~  
****_

_Solace_

* * *

If somebody asked me to tell them how long I thought we were walking for, I'd probably sit there in a stupor while giggling uselessly in their face.

Because, let's face it, my head was still pretty fucked up. The fishbowl-effect was gone for the most part, but it was still pounding like a drum and my ability to control any higher motor functions had yet to return. And, if the short fits of giggles and lingering slurred speech were anything to go by, I'm pretty sure the others were convinced the same could have been said for my mental capabilities, as well. I still had to rely heavily on Yami for support as we walked, and I tripped up over my own feet often. Each time I'd stumble, he would pause for a moment to make sure I didn't fall, and when we started moving again, his grip over my waist would tighten ever-so-slightly to try and keep it from happening again.

In the end, it didn't do too much, but I appreciated the thought.

I found that my eyes seemed to take up the initiative to make my Kindred their only area of focus for quite a while. I'd glance down to his hand on my hip, up its connecting arm, to scan over his clothed torso, his serious face, his short hair, and maybe – if I was lucky – a glimpse of those stunning, garnet-colored eyes. His skin wasn't dark, but it wasn't pale, and I found the natural tan of it quite appealing, if I was being honest with myself. From what I could see under the rips that had been torn into his jumpsuit (probably from Merging with Oscuridad, now that I thought about it), he wasn't _completely_ muscular, but he was toned enough that people would notice if he walked around shirtless (I couldn't keep back a small blush at the image of it in my head). I could feel the lean cords of muscle that ran along the length of his arm and shoulder, and there was something about the heat his skin gave off that made me feel sleepy and safe. His stride was confident, with a straight posture that some could have seen as intimidating.

His hair hung down towards his shoulders with only a few that stuck out here and there, but I had no doubt that, had it been longer, it would have poofed up into spikes like mine did. It was black for the most part, with reddish-maroon ends. His face was framed by golden bangs, and a couple of them ran back along the seam of his scalp and ears like they'd been professionally styled. The planes of his face were similar to my own, only his were sharper along the chin and cheekbones. His expression looked like it was stuck in a permanent frown, and had it not been so... stereotypically masculine, I might've just called him out for having the infamous 'resting bitch-face'. I had to fight the urge to reach up and brush my fingers over his jawline. I was curious – was his cheek as rough as his expression, or was the skin softer than that?

I quickly looked away before he could notice me staring – after all, with my current state of mind, who _knew_ how long I'd just spaced out?

_Or **checked** out,_ came the sly, teasing churl of Arceus' voice in my head. I pretended to be looking off at the ruined buildings and roadways around us to try and hide my growing blush. _Oh, admit it, Little One,_ he continued, and I could feel the scaly bastard's mental grin, _you're already head-over-tail for him! Not that I don't see why... I must admit, we are very fortunate to have such a... physically attractive Sheut._

_First off,_ I mentally retorted, _the correct term is 'head-over-heels', considering **I** don't have a tail._ I could almost feel him shrugging. _Second, don't you dare tease me when I know you'll be doing the same damn thing after you get to meet our Ib._

I paused in my thoughts a moment, before glaring crossly at the concrete.

_Third, I'm still upset with you. So don't push your luck, or bother trying to butter me up by acting like nothing's changed._

I could sense his hurt at that; both it and our mental communication made my headache worsen, and I could feel a strange heat beginning to envelope my brain. It was unpleasant – I felt like I was in a sauna, and my head was too dazed and confused for me to do much more than breathe properly. I stumbled a bit more than I had been, but Yami took it in stride, and helped me without much else than firming his hold on my side.

_What... What do you mean, Yuugi?_ He'd dropped the nickname, so at least he was taking me seriously.

_You know exactly what I mean, Arceus. Just take a look around – everything we knew is different now._

_But **we** are still the same... aren't we?_

It was a little scary to hear just how hesitant and insecure Arceus sounded. He was always the strong one, my rock when I needed someone to help me come back down to earth and think with a level head. I had to bite back a sigh, forcing my expression to remain neutral, so I wouldn't worry anyone who might have been looking in my general direction. _I... I-I don't **know**, Arce',_ I admitted to him silently, biting the inside of my cheek in anxious uncertainty. My eyes tracked down to what I could see of my body. I paused to stare at one of my hands – still darkly spotted with dried blood. _I... don't... think so... Not after all of... all of **this**._

Before the dragon could reply, I heard Yami call up to Kaiba, who had taken it upon himself to lead the way. "Seto, we can't keep walking!" he yelled, and it was then that my ears finally registered the growing wail of police sirens. _Shit_ – were they getting closer?!

Seto's response did enough to piss me off some, though. "We have a disoriented moron with us-"

"Hey!" I yelped in protest, my head throbbing some more at the sudden outcry. It wasn't as bad... maybe I was starting to get better? I certainly didn't seem to be tripping over myself quite as much.

"Don't worry about Yuugi, I'll handle him," I heard my Kindred reply. My lip jut out slightly in an unwilling pout as I looked at him.

"Really?" I sulked, "No disagreements with his statement?" Well, if anything, I could actually start speaking some coherent words now.

"I'll correct him later. We need to get moving."

Well, it was better than nothing.

His arm was still around my waist as we ran, and his other hand came to hover in front of my chest. It was there to catch and steady me whenever I stumbled – which, thankfully, was becoming less frequent – but it didn't look comfortable, and it _certainly_ didn't look very _easy_. Still, we moved on, and all of my senses seemed to become hyper-aware to the screeching behind us that would only bring flashing red-and-blue lights and future imprisonment. I _refused_ to go back to that place – and I _would not_ allow them to lock up my Kindred again. Ten years was more than enough.

_Run, run, run!_ my head screamed at me, willing my legs to keep moving, _Don't stop – just keep running!_ I was well-aware of my surroundings at this point. The tall office buildings and skyscrapers of Domino City had faded, giving way to the cracked, ramshackle hovels and abandoned alleyways. The air smelled of dust and ruin, and I could hear many other sets of feet pounding against the concrete around me. But mostly, I kept myself fixated on those sirens, and the brief, faint glimpses of flashing light that caught against downtrodden walls and roadways in the dimming light. The sun seemed to be getting ready to set as the group made their escape into the ruins of Old Domino. Seto, still leading, seemed to be sticking to the back-roads. A wise idea, in hindsight, considering the lot of us were probably considered wanted fugitives from the law. They were cracked and uneven with mosses and molds and small, leafy stalks of plant-life growing through; all-in-all, this place was obviously _long_ overdue for some maintenance and TLC. I could feel Yami's chest starting to heave with exertion as we ran – I could feel his pace letting up some, and that filled me with both worry and guilt, since he was supporting me as much as he was himself.

I silently cursed my clumsy legs, and the fact that I couldn't call on Arceus to help me. Lest I wanted to just hurt us more than we (I) already had.

We could have been going for a few minutes, or a few hours – that's how foggy my thoughts were right now – but after several city blocks of nonstop running, Yami's determination to keep going seemed to give. He stopped mid-stride to keel over, hands planting to his knees for support as he gasped for air. I, unable to stop myself in time, could only give a surprised yelp of his name, before bundling straight into him. We tripped, and the ground proved to be a cruel mistress as we met it. _Hard_.

I felt Arceus' concern at the pain that rippled through my burns and scratches at the impact, but I only had worry for Yami. Both fortunately and unfortunately, I'd landed on top of him as we fell. I could feel his sides heaving for air tiredly, and the both of us were sweating with exertion. After all – spending ten years locked up probably didn't do much to help with one's endurance or stamina. I, myself, knew I was about as strong as a noodle without Arceus' power.

"Ugh..." I heard my Sheut groan, "Yuugi... It's too hot..."

Guilt filled me. "Sorry," I informed unnecessarily, "I fell."

He glanced up at me, and I tried to scoot off of him some. "How are you feeling?"

I paused a moment to ask myself the same question. Well, more than a little tired and warmed up from the running, but I was... okay-ish? "Besides feeling too hot, I'm okay. I feel a lot better."

"Well, do you think you'll be able to walk on your own?"

"Y-Yeah. I should be okay."

The others seemed to have paused, because Kaiba was approaching us now. "You two alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," Yami answered, "just tripped into each other."

We continued running after that. I could tell it wasn't just Yami and I relying on our adrenaline to just stand upright at the moment. Looking at all their faces, the others were also fatigued. My brothers seemed to be struggling to keep stride with their darker halves, and Seto's face – already paled with magical and physical exertion – seemed to have gone even more pallid. Anzu didn't look much better off. I just tried to keep up with Yami the whole time, trusting him and the others to lead us all to some kind of safety. The microbe collars around the necks of us six might be inoperative (and I prayed that it would stay that way), they still held a heavy weight over our heads. A not-too-nice reminder of what would be in store, should we be recaptured. Only, it'd probably end up worse, a second time around. Seeing as we'd killed dozens of Pegasus' employees, hijacked a van, basically kidnapped and brought two of his people over to the dark (and/or light) side, and, worst of all, we proved to Pegasus that he had underestimated us.

And Hell hath no fury like a psychopath proven wrong.

I had no doubt that the news had spread throughout Domino City, and probably several other nearby towns. There would be roadside and neighborhood watches, canine and Ka units, media broadcasts, the news, the radio, wanted ads and posters. By foot, by vehicle, by air; we all knew that Pegasus would spare no expense in trying to find us again.

Man, machine, animal, Ka...

We would _never_ be safe.

My newly re-established bond with my own Ka-Monster tingled with this alertness, this slowly mounting panic. I heard, and somehow _felt_, the soothing rumble of Arceus' growl within my mind. I gave a tiny sigh between my gasps for air. Gods, how I had missed my soul-partner. I was still mad at him, sure, but that didn't change how much I'd _missed_ him when we were locked up. I never wanted something like that to happen to me – or _anyone_, for that matter – ever again.

I felt like my chest was about to collapse, and my lungs and throat were on fire, when Seto finally faltered.

"O-Ok...ay..." he huffed, sweat creating a sheen across his forehead, "We... We gotta stop."

I could have _cried_ with relief at that point.

Ryou and Malik collapsed into a pile on top of one another, the latter giving a breathless groan of "agreed" before he went down. Seto went to seat himself on a pile of fallen brick as Yami's brothers followed their Kindred's lead, dropping lifelessly to the ground. Anzu seated herself somewhat-hesitantly on a piece of the heap Kaiba had gone to. Honestly, she looked too tired to give any fucks about what the prickly brunette thought of her closeness.

I breathed in deeply, wiping my damp head with a hand. A grimace came across my face as the moisture mixed with the leftover, dried blood on it and made it undoubtedly smear across my forehead. I paused a moment in my disgust, before peeking down one of the turns on these confusing back-roads. It looked pretty wide-open, considering, with less rubble than the place we were in now. Glancing to the exhausted group, I sneaked away with the intent of finding a puddle to clean myself off with. Even a little bit would be fine. Besides, they were all so tired, I'd probably be back before they even noticed I was gone!

Though it was some improvement, like all the others, these streets were in shambles – cracked, faded, worn by the elements. The buildings were in no better shape. Everything seemed to sag on its foundation, with deep cracks in the surfaces. Windows, patches of brickwork, even entire _walls _had gone missing here and there. Sheets upon sheets of ivy, moss, and lichen had taken root over them, crawling up the frames towards what little sunlight could penetrate a smog-covered sky. I noticed that there were large, dark gray clouds, rolling in every direction to block out the setting sun. Shadows were thick and darker than what seemed physically possible. Somewhere in the distance, I could hear the scuttling of animals. With Arceus' senses, still naturally in-tune with my own, the scents and sounds from every which way around me were disorienting, my body throwing away all reason spread by my mind as it tried to absorb every little detail of these new surroundings. I struggled to try and shut off this little connection, knowing it'd probably only worsen my already-shaky condition.

I found what I was looking for in a more open space between the decrepit buildings. The water was a little bit grayed from the gravel and stone it pooled upon, but it would do the trick. Cupping a hand beneath the surface, I splashed it onto the red of my arms, and rubbed the dried stuff until it mixed with the water. After that, I splashed myself a couple more times, and squeegeed the remaining moisture off with my index finger and thumb. The water began to take on more of a gray-brown tone, and I tried to swallow the bile that rose in my throat when I wet my hands again, and started to rub the stuff off of my face.

Lashing out at Kemo back at the laboratories had been on pure instinct – a Kindred fighting for their mate. Anyone else would have done the same – hell, by the look in both Malik and Ryou's eyes, I could tell that if it weren't for the collars, had Kemo gone even a _step _closer to Marik or Bakura, and they would have done the same thing! And after what Pegasus had done to Yami...

I shuddered at the pure, unadulterated _wrath _I had felt, that Arceus had felt. The feeling, a carnal, instinctive _need _to protect what was _mine _and mine _alone_ surging through me... It was something I had never felt before. At least, not with that kind of intensity.

I had never once thought I could have been capable of such _violence_. And yet, I had torn into that man's flesh like a starving predator taking down its prey.

The only difference is that my urge to kill wasn't from hunger.

That, and the man was still alive when the six of us had fled... _barely_.

But still, alive...

If it lasted, anyways.

_Little One...?_ I heard my Ka murmur to me. I sighed, using another handful of water to keep rinsing the residue down from my face and neck. _Yuugi... I... I am so, so sorry for abandoning you like I did. I... I was so **angry**, thinking about what they'd done to you, to Amane and Ra, and to their Kindred. To **our** Kindred. _I closed my eyes tightly, and did my best to focus on the task at-hand. I could feel Arceus' regret for leaving me helpless, but not for what he did to the guards. I doubted he would ever see fault in what we had done that day. _I wanted to kill that man. All of them. I think I still do. They deserve to pay for the pain that they caused-_

"Two wrongs don't make a right," I found myself snapping aloud, shoulders tensing. "Revenge is _never_ an excuse to condone _murder_."

_**They** murdered our grandfather!_ the Lightsworn snapped back defensively, _They locked up Yami and the others, they locked us up with them, they **tortured** our bodies and sealed me away with those damn collars so they wouldn't have to put up with the consequences of their actions!_

I growled again. "We don't know if Jii-chan is dead or alive yet, Arceus. And unlike _you_, I'm going to stick with the hope that he's still living. He _had_ to have noticed our disappearances when we snuck off to the Matching Center. He knew why we had to stay locked up, even if we didn't. So he would have known that he needed to leave before Pegasus and his people could catch up."

_Well, what about the other things they've done? I've **seen** what he did to Yami that day! He had more blood outside of him than he did in his veins! He needed help with the most basic of tasks – who's to say they haven't done that to him, or Marik, or Bakura before? For all we know, they could have been planning the same for you and I, or for our kin! Who's to say how many others have suffered beneath them, and may still be suffering at this very moment?_ His anger was beginning to effect me as I cleaned the last of the blood from my bare skin. I grit my teeth in attempts to keep them from growing, stopping my subconscious from tapping into my magic, and hurting our Akh more than it was already. _They're all rabid animals and they deserve to be put down!_

"_Shut up, Arceus_!" I yelled, bringing down a fist in anger and frustration. It splashed into the reddened water, soaking the skin of my one bare arm. "I _know_ what they've done – hell, I've already lived through enough by the hands of that _fucker_ to give me nightmares for the rest of my life!" An image of a beaten, bloody, unconscious Yami flashed to mind at that, and I shook my head to send it away. "I know that people have suffered, and I know we're all in pain, and that we won't probably have any chance of having a normal life, even _after_ we take care of Pegasus – _if_ we can even manage that, in the first place. But how will killing those people make us _any_ better than they are? They have families, too, Arceus! Husbands and wives and children and parents and siblings and so much more. They have their own loved ones to protect and provide for. What will happen to them, once they're gone? To the friends and family of all the people we ended up killing today during our escape?"

My throat closed up and I tried not to shake.

"What... will happen to their _Kindred_?"

I felt Arceus recoil, stunned into silence. I continued, sitting on my knees as I stared into the red-gray pool in front of me. "...Even if we haven't been with them long, I know... I know that if anything were to happen to Yami and Oscuridad..." I almost wanted to cry at the very _thought_ of it. "If they were killed, by themselves, another person, in an accident, or otherwise – I wouldn't be able to bear it. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself, with all of the what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. And I know that you wouldn't be able to, either." Arceus' unresponsiveness was proof enough. I tried to keep the guilt and regret from filling me to the brim. No easy task.

I exhaled shakily, and stood up just as such. "I know that we have to do it..." I accepted, "We could be killed ourselves, otherwise, or locked up and tortured the rest of our lives. But... to think that when we end someone's life, we're _literally_ tearing away a half of someone's soul in the process..." I just shook my head. "I'm trying not to think about it too much, but it's hard. Up until a few months ago, we were just three naïve kids, hidden away in a house, without a lick of sense about how cruel this world can be. Even now, we're definitely not experts. But I don't think any of us are quite as innocent as before."

There was a pause, filled with hesitation, before Arceus' sigh filled my head. _I... I know, Little One,_ the dragon murmured, _and I apologize, for saying what I did. Both then and now. I was speaking out of anger and fear._

_I know you were_, I mentally whispered back, hugging myself a little as I felt a chill seep into my dampened, ripped-up jumpsuit, _I was, too. And I get that you were upset and wanted to be left alone, but... it really, really hurt me, Arceus. We'd just reconnected, and then you shut yourself away from me without any kind of warning like that? It fucking **hurt**._

_I'm sorry, Yuugi..._

I smiled at the sincerity in his tone, and I wished I could have just reached out and hugged him around his scaly neck. _I know you are. I'm sorry, too. It's been scary, and stressful... and I'm sure you've noticed, but I've had some difficulty dealing with that stress. I kept snapping and lashing out at the others._ Guilt and embarrassment swelled in my chest like a balloon. _I should probably apologize to them, too. Seto especially. He had a valid point, and I just tossed him and Yami right back into the fray after they'd already done so much. He even went through an overload because of my directions..._

Arceus sent me the mental image of him curling around me, paw clasping at my hip, a wing folding around to hug me, since he could not do it outside of our mind without hurting our Akh further. _We were all in danger, Little One, and no-one else was able to come up with a way to escape without hurting innocent people. I'm sure he understands._

I shrugged to myself, but did not reply as something stirred in my peripheral vision. I turned, and saw something dark shift amongst the rubble of this empty place. It ducked swiftly behind a half-collapsed wall of one of the fallen buildings. My curiosity peaked, and I paused, gaze never leaving that peculiar spot as I pondered on what it might have been... an animal, perhaps? Maybe it'd made a nest of sorts out of it?

I wanted to go check it out.

_What do you think, Arceus? _I asked my Ka, wanting a second opinion on the matter. _Should we?_

I heard him give a small hum in reply, his voice rumbling throughout my head. I could picture him, as if he were standing next to me, tilting his head and snorting softly. _What is it? _he questioned silently back, echoing my own musings. My curiosity was bad enough, but combine it with that of a dragon's? There was absolutely no way I _wasn't_ going to inspect this unknown object in the shadows! Of course, I understood the dangers – I had no idea who or _what _this thing was. I would have to be cautious.

I glanced over my shoulder, back the way I had come. Maybe the others hadn't noticed my absence yet? It'd only take a few minutes to take a peek, right? I'd be back before they had time to worry! I looked back to where the figure had slunk to, nodding silently to myself. _Just a quick look, and then we'll go catch up with them! No harm done, right?_

_Be careful_, was the only response I received.

_I will._

With a final glance over my shoulder, I quickly approached the darkened building debris, littered with grime and fallen structural parts – the perfect spot for something to hide. I craned my head, peeking around the slab of free-standing wall, into the remnants of what was – mostly likely – once a store, of some kind. I moved towards a large crack in the half-gone wall with intent to slip through it and go inside. "H... H-Hello?" I murmured quietly, "Is anyone in here?"

There was silence, and I could feel the tension mounting in the air...

It was then broken with a battle cry.

Something – or some_one_, I wasn't sure – vaulted itself up and over the remainder of the wall, and I cried out in shock as the sight of dark claws met me. I felt this thing tackle me to the ground, a hand going to my throat. I gave an instinctive snarl, a deep growl rolling fluidly from my throat as Arceus mentally yelled _danger!_ I fought back the will to summon up his claws, keeping in-mind what Anzu had told us earlier. I would only make things worse for myself if I went about using magic right now. Instead, I gathered what little strength I had, planted my feet into the creature's stomach, and kicked the figure back, scrambling away from any potential structures for it to pin me against.

Before I could even look up, I felt what could have only been a _tail_ sweep up and catch me behind the knees. Still discomposed from my earlier strain, I couldn't find my equilibrium in time. My legs buckled, and I landed _hard_ on a pile of debris, made up of stone and metal and glass.

Something entered the flesh of my left leg, right in the back of my mid-thigh. An unwilling scream of pain ripped my lungs. A roughly-textured hand clasped over my mouth, muffling the sound. I could feel claws biting into the skin around my mouth as this person – definitely one who had fused with his or her Ka – tried to keep me silent while I flailed, attempting to shove them off of me.

I felt Arceus force control over my arms, despite the mental protests, and the next thing I knew, he'd sent the edges of his claws scoring into the person's bicep. I couldn't hold back the few tears that managed to escape as my headache from earlier came back, slamming into me full-force with a hit strong enough that made me go limp. My vision swirled with black as I tried to remain conscious through the sudden pain. I was scared my nose was going to start bleeding again.

The person retaliated right away, a scaled hand wrapping around my throat and dysfunctional collar as they slammed me back onto the pile of building. I felt the thing in my leg twist and sink more deeply into the skin. It was going to be a deep wound, once it was pulled out. "Who the heck 're _you_?! Wha're you doin' here? Did that _creep_ send you?!" a male voice snarled, and blonde hair was one of the only things I could register. I needed to breathe. I couldn't focus. All I could feel was _pain_, from both me and Arceus. Right now, I could only look down, and study the source of my physical agony: a twisted, rusting piece of jagged metal, sunk into the flesh of my leg. I could already see crimson blood seeping out onto the concrete.

There was a roar.

"_Get your fucking hands off of him!_" I heard the gravelly timbre of Oscuridad bellow. The pressure at my throat vanished, and I gasped loudly for air, rolling over and away from the dangerous scraps I had been tackled into. The metal stuck, unfortunately, and I jostled my wounds enough to bring only more agony. I breathed heavily, trying to stay conscious, my exhales consisting of coughs, small, quiet moans and gasps of pain. I registered the sound of a struggle, and there were several voices, before... an argument?

I thought I could hear others getting close, and against my better judgment, I felt my control sink beneath the protective instincts of a dragon. I didn't let him take hold over our shared body, but I _did_ let him influence what it did, what its reactions to certain stimuli or situations would be. And right now, the only reaction was _defend_.

I felt someone approach me, and hands firmly grasped me by the shoulders, rolling me from my stomach onto my back. Following Arceus' instincts, I gripped at the figure's arms, feeling my sharpened claws dig into soft flesh, warm blood trickling slowly from the scratches left in their wake. There was a moment before I realized the eyes staring down at me were an unmistakable shade of ruby. It calmed me some, to know that Yami was there, but I couldn't force myself to let go. The pain was getting worse, and I felt tears gather in my eyes. I felt like I was about to throw up, it hurt so bad. Not just my leg – my _everything_. My head, my heart, my skin, my _magic_. It felt like my very existence had been set on fire.

"It hurts," I moaned tensely to my Kindred, silently _begging_ that he'd make whatever caused the pain go away, "It hurts! Yami, it _hurts_!"

He shushed me, and I felt a sudden wave of serenity and feel-good things fill my head from a passageway that I hadn't even known _existed_. For a split-second, I found the capability to wonder _is this Yami's mind?_ before letting my grip on his arms relax. I felt Arceus release his hold on me, the magic cutting out as quickly as it'd come, and the pressure on my brain lessened immensely. Yami drew me closer to him, and my cheek pressed against his warm chest. I allowed myself a moment of relaxation as his arms held me close.

"Sorry," came his soft whisper, before the metal in my leg was grabbed and ripped free in one fluid motion. My spine went rigid, and I just _barely_ bit back a scream, releasing a harsh whimper instead as I fisted the tight clothing that covered his torso, clenching my teeth. All I could focus on was trying to make as little sound as possible – honestly, how many times today had I put myself at risk like this? First I was practically electrocuted, and mauled Kemo, then dodging bullets and magic and madmen in a high-speed chase down Domino City streets, almost being burnt to a crisp, then the van flipped, pretty much _breaking my brain_ to keep everyone else from getting hurt, and now _this_? Seemed to be a _lot_ more times in one day than what was necessary. I didn't know if it was because of the whole overprotective-dragon-instincts thing from Arceus, or if I was just being reckless.

Gods, above, Kaiba was right. I really _am_ an idiot.

I heard ripping fabric as Yami's arms began to move, and something was tied around the wound in my thigh. I shivered, both from pain, and from the cold that clung to my skin from my blood-covered clothing. There was an arm, one looping beneath the back of my knees, another supporting my back and shoulders. I felt the ground disappear beneath me, and let my head rest against Yami's chest while he lifted me up.

After all the running we'd done – literally and figuratively – and the stress put on us, the fear and anxiety and pain, and just generally... pushing my limits _so_ much farther than I had ever had the opportunity to before, I think my body was finally starting to give out on me. Not as in the whole "_last moments on this earth_" thing, but the "_why the hell did you push yourself so damn hard you should have known better, good luck moving tomorrow_" kind of way. I just contented myself with leaning into my Kindred's warmth, feeling this new connection of his (ours?) I'd never noticed before, sensing the emotions of Yami and Oscuridad, their mental presences floating between mine and Arceus' own like mist.

Arceus' mental aura (at least, how I pictured it) was the same, silver-lavender color of his eyes, with maybe a few hints of light blue if you looked hard enough. I was the more saturated indigo-amethyst shade. Two in the same, really. Colors that blended together well and with ease when at peace, but easily separated when one or the other was out of balance. That wasn't to say they were perfect, though – there was this... this compressed feeling behind the both of them, my own included. Like too much water caught behind a leaky dam; one crack, and all of that repressed-ness would come tumbling out at a velocity that I don't think even _we_ could control. Then there was our Kindred...

In my mind, Oscuridad's presence was thick and almost overpowering, radiating with heavy, authoritative black energy that gave me the impression of the bulb in a black-light. It was dark, and even a bit overbearing, almost overcome by repressed power and emotions over many years that was _dying_ to be let out and to protect but to also cause harm, all at the same time. It was almost enough to smother a person, like smoke, and it held the tension of a dark storm cloud inside of it. But there was that gentle, much more vibrant hue to it that you could only see when he wanted you to see it. Like turning on the switch for an internal black-light, and it lit up and softened and exposed so much more beneath the surface of his spirit than one would even imagine being there.

And Yami, he was vibrant and fiery and intense, with a strong temper and desire for revenge, but also to protect and keep safe. It burned with the red temperament of blood, the intensity of a red sheet over the eyes when angry or in a fight, a passion and care for those close to him that was hot as fire, and this... this _something_, that seemed so buried down beneath, but so close to the surface, at the same time. A special sort of softness, that gleamed like freshly-polished rubies and garnets – a hard exterior, with so much warmth and care to give hidden underneath it. Maybe even more than he had ever wanted, or could care to give throughout his lifetime.

_I wonder if they see themselves the same way I do?_ I wondered to myself, the thoughts bouncing endlessly within my mind. Arceus wasn't responding again, but it wasn't in the same way as before. He was just... worn out. That mental image of his aura was calm and placid and feathery with dreamless sleep. I decided to follow suit, sighing quietly to myself and Yami started walking with me in his arms.

"It's okay," I heard him murmur, "we're gonna get you home."

_Home_, I repeated absently, _Home sounds nice._

The sound of air moving in and out of his lungs lulled me to sleep as my eyes slipped closed. I only had a moment to feel disappointed at the fact that I couldn't make out his heartbeat above it, before blissful unconsciousness finally took over.

* * *

I don't know how long I was out for, but I did know that the entire time I was, I was dreaming.

Some of them were nice. In one, Ryou, Malik and I were in the kitchen with Jii-chan, back at the Game Shop. Making pancakes, because man, were we _obsessed_ with those things as kids! We were standing around, setting the table, exchanging banter – the usual thing. Then right as everything got set up, Bakura, Marik and Yami waltzed through the door as if they'd done it a million times, and Grandpa greeted the three like family.

Others were... not as enjoyable. Flashes of blood and snippets of screams, with thousands of shattered images like blood-stained glass shards shot around me as I ran through an endless darkness. They were the screams of my loved ones, my friends and family. The shards had looked horrifyingly similar to Arceus' scales. And before I knew it, in the darkness, I saw Kemo throwing crimson-covered Yami to the ground, and leaving without a word. The moment he left my sight, I heard our brothers start to make bloodcurdling shrieks of agony, before they all cut out. Just like _that_. And all I could do after that was sit there and try to hold Yami close to me as the light left his eyes and his skin went cold.

Then I heard more voices – muted ones, but faintly familiar. And I heard Arceus whispering my name.

That's what woke me up.

My eyes snapped opened quickly and I took a frantic gasp for air, hands gripping the sheets below me like a lifeline. All I could see was the darkness and the blood and I could hear them all screaming and-

_Wait... sheets?_

I took a long, deep breath, and ran my hands over whatever it was I was laying on. Yeah, those were definitely sheets. They were spread over a mattress, and I felt a pillow underneath my head. Blinking slow, trying to get rid of the leftover sleep, I yawned, rubbing an eye with my fist, groggy, as I _slowly_ sat myself up. For a second, I thought I heard that jovial, warm old voice that had been a constant in my life since the day I was born. I dared to think that I was home, and I'd just had a _really_ bad dream. _Jii... chan?_ I thought absently, giving my eyes a final rub, before glancing around.

First thing's first – this was _not_ my room. I wasn't at the Shop. This wasn't just some crazy dream. A piece of me felt relieved at that – because that meant that _Yami_ wasn't a dream, either. I went to stand.

Apparently, neither was the soreness and pain I felt all over my body. My leg gave an especially excruciating _throb_, and I grimaced, biting back a whimper as a hand instinctively moved to locate the source of pain. My fingers brushed over a bandage wrap. I blinked, and realized that not only had I been sleeping in a strange room – my clothes had been changed, too!

"Eh?"

Where the hell was I?

Or, better yet – where were my brothers? And Yami, and his brothers, for that matter? What about Anzu and Kaiba? I couldn't feel Arceus' presence, either... maybe he was still asleep?

_Good morning, Little One,_ came said dragon's churl moments later. I found myself giving an absent smile.

_Hey, Arce',_ I greeted back, pausing to massage a temple as my head gave a dull ache, _How are you feeling? What happened? Where are we?_

There was a pause, and I could feel him thinking. He was frustrated when he couldn't come up with an answer. Arceus was just as lost as I was. I tried to focus in on that little... connection, I'd felt, the last time I was conscious, when Yami was carrying me in his arms. My link into his own mind and emotions. I started to feel myself panic when I couldn't find it; just an odd, raw, empty feeling. It reminded me of having a dry or sore throat, only in my head. Speaking of, I was feeling a little bit... dizzy...

Maybe some kind of after-effect from the whole magic-overload episode?

Then I heard talking. "_Something wrong, Jou?_" Yami's voice. I sighed to myself in relief, smiling faintly. At least he was safe...

"_U-Uh... Um... N-No.. N-Not at all..._" I stopped dead in my mental tracks when a familiar voice replied to my Kindred's. "_Um... You don't think he'll come after me again, right?_"

_Like Hell I won't! _That's the fucker who tried to choke me out! And he was _with my Kindred_.

I swayed in place a little as Arceus' protective instincts mixed with my confusion and anger towards the one who had assaulted me, the intensity of our combined emotions taking me a bit by surprise. It took all I had in me to _not_ tap into our magic for a little something extra when I went out there and clawed that prick's face. I stumbled towards the door at first, trying to stretch and shake the ache in my bones and the tensity of my muscles away as I moved. I heard feet approaching, my Kindred's voice having gone quiet, and without thinking, swung the door open. I was _beyond_ ready to bring the threat to the ground and make him regret screwing with me and Arceus and _anyone_ affiliated with us.

I tripped up some, however, as I collided with a body much sooner than I'd intended. The voice sounded farther off than, y'know, _right outside my door_. The person I'd crashed into stumbled along with me, and I'd barely been able to keep myself upright along with them. I heard a deep chuckle of amusement, and a shiver ran up my spine unintentionally. "Whoooaaa," Yami drawled calmly, his hands gently grabbing my forearms. I almost looked up at him, and I would have, had it not been for the fact that the blonde who'd assaulted me was now in plain sight, just down the hallway. I bit back a growl and threw him the meanest, most threatening glare I could manage, just _barely_ resisting the urge to borrow some of Arceus' power to bare his fangs at the other male. "Jou is friend, not foe."

My eyes flickered momentarily to Yami's face, before fixating back onto the blonde – 'Jou', apparently. He looked lanky, and was reasonably tall. His face was softened with youth, but hardened by the toils and troubles of life. Sheets of longish golden-yellow hair swept just in front of light-brown eyes. He was dressed in dirty-looking jeans with holes in the knees, and a dark gray long-sleeve coupled with a lighter-gray, sleeveless vest. Oh, and he was using Kaiba as his personal shield, hiding behind him like a cowardly dog.

A snarl from Arceus escaped my throat before I could stifle the sound. "He has a funny way of showing it! He attacked me!" I reminded my Sheut, narrowing my eyes at the supposed friend-and-not-foe, who ducked behind Kaiba just a little more. The blue-eyed brunette was looking more than a little irritated at the behavior.

Yami gently pushed me away from him, far enough to get me to look into his eyes. Something in my chest melted at the intensity of that vibrant red gaze. "And he has paid dearly for that," he murmured to me, and I blinked in bewilderment. Looking back over his arm, I noticed a certain... discoloration the the skin around one of his eyes. There was dried blood on his lower lip and – I flinched inwardly at the marks I spotted on his cheek, my own scratches giving a reminiscent throb.

Unable to bite back a satisfied smirk, I mumbled back, "You didn't think the black eye and busted lip was enough?" If I was being honest with myself, I felt the _smallest_ bit of pity for this... Jou-person. Dragon claws hurt like a bitch.

"Oscuridad didn't seem to think so," Yami answered, looking smugly amused, turning his head back towards me before adding, "How's your leg?"

I shifted on my feet, feeling that odd pull of skin beneath the bandages. It felt as if something was binding the wound together – stitches? "Better. What happened?"

His smile was surprisingly warm when he answered, gently motioning towards a corner of the room. Just off from a small dining table, I saw Malik. My youngest brother had changed into simple jeans and a lavender top that exposed some of his midriff, and even I had to admit that it looked pretty good on him. He was tightly hugging a taller woman, with dark black hair, and a similar skin tone. She wore a cream long-sleeve top and boot-cut jeans, locks of her long hair done up in what looked like golden beads. She had tears in her eyes, and for some reason, something seemed vaguely familiar about her. "Ishizu happened."

_Ishizu?_ I wondered in shock, _That's... Malik's sister?_ I blinked, rather at a loss at the moment. "Oh..." As much as it pained me to see Malik cry, I knew it was in a happy way. I gave an absent smile, and felt Yami shift beside me. He picked up something from the floor. "I brought these for you to try on," he said, "I figured that you'd want a little more to cover yourself with."

I studied him curiously for a moment, before my frazzled thoughts caught up with me. Glancing down at my sparse clothing – a kind-of-long shirt that hung just past my waistline, and a pair of boxers – I felt a good half of the blood in my body flood to my face. And that _idiot_ just stood there and _smirked_ at me! Giving an embarrassed squeak, I snatched the clothes from my Kindred, and quickly retreated to the room I'd come from, closing the door firmly behind me. I glanced myself over again, and _good God_ _I feel like I might as well be prancing around in a fucking **speedo**_.

I heard Arceus laugh, and did my best to ignore him. Seriously – these stupid boxers hardly even covered half of my thighs, and the shirt seemed to be just fine with slipping down my shoulder. And whenever I'd adjust it, it'd just slip over the other one! My Ka just laughed some more, and I hissed a scathing _shut up!_ at him through our Bond.

The bastard just laughed even harder.

_I swear to the Gods, Arceus_, I snorted at him, _if you don't shut your scaly trap **right now**, I'm going to send every last embarrassing memory of you that I have and send it **straight** to Yami and Oscuridad's side of our new mind-link!_

Needless to say, the threat worked pretty well.

I dropped the pile of clothing onto the bed unceremoniously, before taking a moment to examine it. Some run-of-the-mill bluejeans (seemed to be a common theme around here) with a hole in the left knee, a black tank-top, and a dark blue jacket to go over it. There was a studded belt to go with the pants, and after some minor struggling, I managed to get everything on without reopening or aggravating my wounds too much. The one at the back of my leg still gave a dull, rhythmic ache along with my heartbeat, and the burn on my arm was making movements more than a little stiff right now. Actually, now that I thought of it – there was an odd residue left behind on the burnt skin. Had someone applied some kind of ointment while I was unconscious?

I checked out my reflection in a tall mirror that had been placed beside a dresser on the wall, and couldn't help but to give a hum of satisfaction at the outcome. Not too shabby, I must admit. I guess Yami had a better eye for clothing than I'd thought. I stopped when I noticed the collar still clasped around my throat. I fiddled with it, trying to squirm a finger between the metal and my skin, to no avail. There was no kind of power source left in it, after my Ka and I shorted it out with our magic, so I knew I didn't have to worry about getting shocked if I messed with it. But I didn't know how to take it off without some kind of key, either. I considered asking Arceus for help, but Anzu's warning to us after my initial overload made me reconsider the wisdom in that choice. I'd used magic when Jou attacked me, and I was definitely still paying for it now. Everything felt sore and stiff and just _tired_ in general. Whenever I reached out towards our Akh's magic, it felt like I was trying to grip the edges of frayed silk. It slipped away every time I thought I had a good hold on it. I didn't even want to _attempt_ pulling it from the depths of our soul, out into the material world. Who knew what kind of drawbacks that would have? Besides, it's not like I haven't hurt myself enough, already...

But I digress. Back to the collar.

Had Yami been wearing his? I couldn't remember. Maybe he knew how to take them off. Or Ishizu.

For the time-being, I flicked up the edge of my new jacket's collar, feeling oddly sheepish about wearing it. It was kind of... degrading, really. I felt like an animal that was meant to be watched and stuck in a cage. Something that _belonged_ in that Hellish place I'd just escaped. _Whatever... I guess I'll have to ask one of the others about it later._

After some wandering around the house (it was a pretty nice place, considering) for a little bit, I found that the front door led out to a small, somewhat-worn-down porch. Everyone seemed to have vanished for now – probably out exploring, or catching up, or something. Just enjoying the _freedom_.

Sitting on the front steps, I saw my Kindred. He was staring blankly at our surroundings, kinda like the way he, Marik, and Bakura had been looking around when we first entered the city ruins. I seated myself next to him, a little worried and wanting to break the silence. "You seem pretty distant," I pointed out, keeping my voice quiet, "What's on your mind?"

He glanced over at me, and we exchanged a mutual stare that, in any other situation, probably would have been a little bit awkward. But right now, I was just concerned for him. About what was going on in that head of his. He sighed after a while, before studying the cracked pavement at his feet.

His voice sounded heavy when he spoke, weighed down by some kind of invisible burden. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Huh?" I tilted my head to one side in confusion habitually, raising a brow at the unexpected statement. He didn't look back up. In fact, he stared at the ground as if it were something hypnotic, almost like he didn't dare to look away from it. Or at me. What was he so nervous about?

...He didn't think I was going to _hurt_ him, or anything, did he? Well... looking back, I guess I haven't really given him much room to _not_ consider the possibility that I would. Guilt filled me. I wanted to wrap him in a hug and ramble off some apologies, but my body remained still. If he ended up flinching away or something, I think a piece of me would just break off and die on the inside._ I swear, it was just the stress! I was scared – __**terrified**__ – and I've never had to deal with this kind of situation or constant fear or the threat of death to me or people I care about and you've been dealing with it for __**years**__ and-!_

_Yuugi._ Arceus' voice cut off my mental blathering. I tried to keep myself from tensing on instinct. I almost thought he was about to scold me. _I'm sure it's fine,_ he soothed instead, a small degree of amusement in his tone, _Why don't you let him explain before you start to feel bad, or jump to conclusions?_ I sent him a mental nod, managing to keep myself from blushing like a fool.

"I'm sorry..." he repeated in a miserable tone, "For everything..."

A memory flashed to the forefront of my head.

* * *

_"What the hell are you sorry about?"_

_I gasped, despite myself, as the hoarse voice of my injured Kindred finally broke through my quiet sniffles and mumbled apologies and the hurricane of guilt and sorrow and worry and fear and – no, stop Yuugi. No more self-pity. Try to stay strong, to help Yami. I had to make sure he was alright, first and foremost._

_I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I-I don't know... Everything?" I replied quietly, sounding more unsure of myself than I would have liked. I was sorry for that stupid argument when I first got here. For being such a stubborn fool and giving him the silent treatment over something so childish. For giving him a hard time when he and his brothers already had enough to go through without the three of us making things a hell of a lot more difficult for them. For being weak, and childish, and letting my pride take first priority over him._

_He rolled his eyes (somehow), and I felt him shift in my lap, getting more comfortable as he mumbled something..._

* * *

I laughed softly to myself, and put a hand on his arm to get Yami's attention. When he peeked up at me, I smiled at him. "Being sorry gets you nowhere in this world," I recited the words a certain, stubborn little crimson-eyed bird had told me who knew how long ago, now, "So stop being sorry."

He smiled, and I found myself echoing his chuckle. His next comment caught me a bit by surprise, though: "I'm gonna punch your smart ass in the mouth..."

He's gonna do what now?

"With my mouth..."

Wait – _what_?

"But softly... Because I like you..."

I blinked at him a few times, feeling my cheeks flush with warmth when I finally caught the gist of what he was saying. Wait just a second – _oh my Gods_, was Yami _blushing_? I felt my face grow hotter. _Oh my Gods he looks so **cute**!_ some part of me decided to squeal, and I could feel Arceus silently agreeing from wherever he was resting within our soul. My eyes darted away from him against my will, as a wave of shyness crashed over me. I tried to save face with a roll of the eyes and a shove to the shoulder. "Idiot," I mumbled, unable to stifle my somewhat-pleased-but-also-embarrassed laughter as I let my sights slip back to my Kindred.

The moment ended when someone joined us outside. Not looking away from him, I heard Kaiba ask if we were ready to head out. I didn't even have to nod at Yami for him to understand.

"Yeah," he replied for the both of us, moving to stand up, and offering me a hand once he had, "let's go."

* * *

**Nickey: And there's that! Nice work Fallen, I only had to fix a few typos, and I'm pretty sure you handled the rest ^w^ Sure hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did, make sure you drop us a review, we read every single one of them ^_^ So, until my chapter next time, take care ladies and gents! * waves * Goodbye!**

_Fallen: Hurray! I hope you guys enjoyed :) And, as Nickey said, please leave us a review and tell us what you think? We read every single one of them, and they do wonders for motivation! I don't have much else to say, other than stay safe, and keep being awesome, all of you!_

_Until next time~_


End file.
